Former India captain Ajay Jadeja has agreed with Ben Stokes’ decision to retire from international cricket, saying the Englishman made the right call “and that this decision shows his unwillingness to let people outside the room dictate how he should live his life.” Stokes announced his retirement after the most decorated career in English cricket, bringing the curtain down on a journey that included match-winning performances in the 2019 ODI World Cup final, the memorable Headingley Ashes Test later that year, and several other memorable moments across all formats. Speaking at a Sony Sports announcement, Jadeja said he admires Stokes for sticking to his principles. “I think he made a good call, and I will go ahead. Especially for the captain of this country’s cricket team to be told what he can do in the evening and what he can’t do, there are other people who can do it, but smart people like him can’t be controlled by people who are not on the field.” Jadeja added that he would have understood if the instructions came from within the team, but not from the management. “If there are people in the dressing room who want you to do something, that’s a different story. But when the people running the game try to tell you how to live your life and what to do, I’m very happy. Not happy that he’s going to retire and we’re not going to see him play, but here’s a guy who said, ‘OK, this is it.’ He has become a controversial person. He played against it.” Stokes’ retirement came less than three weeks after he was involved in an off-field brawl following England’s first Test win against New Zealand. Stokes and Gus Atkinson broke the midnight curfew and are said to have attended a late-night event in London involving an ECB security official and a Saracens rugby player. The ECB later ruled both players out of the second Test while an investigation by the Cricket Regulator took place. Joe Root entering as a stand-in captain. However, the Cricket Regulator later found insufficient evidence to prove a breach of the ECB Cricket Regulator rules and suspended both players. The ECB also said that no blame should be given to the players in the violent incident, confirming that Stokes did not participate or see the conflict, while Atkinson was a victim without revenge and did not retaliate. Former Indian batsmen Sanjay ManjrekarMeanwhile, he admitted that he was disappointed by Stokes’ retirement, explaining that it was the end of time. “It saddens me to read that two people who retired all the time, Kane Williamson and Ben Stokes, and a wonderful retirement. “ Manjrekar said Stokes’ magnitude cannot be measured numerically. “Ben Stokes, I have maintained that this is not a man who will get 50 or 600 wickets, but he had a unique ability to excel and single-handedly win a game for his country, be it Tests, ODIs or T20Is.” It is believed that this quality will define Stokes’ place in the history of cricket. “That is the legacy he will leave, and I am not very happy. The people we worship and love to watch, we will never see again. “ One of England’s greatest all-rounders, Stokes has been involved in some of the country’s biggest victories, including an unbeaten 84 in the 2019 ODI World Cup final against New Zealand, his stunning 135 not out at Headingley in the Ashes later this summer, and his Test best of 258 in Cape Town against South Africa.
