Stokes’ 84 off 76 balls helped England to a 93-run win against Pakistan, which came too late for the 2019 champions to salvage much of their campaign, apart from qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy, which had been been in danger amid six defeats. his nine games. This victory at Eden Gardens followed two other victories, against Bangladesh and the Netherlands.
Asked after the match if he would like to add his experience to England’s rebuild in the 50-over format, Stokes told Sky Sports: “It goes back to my initial reason for moving away from this format, [it] It was simply because of the workload.
“I’m the Test captain, I’ve got a lot of things coming up, there’s a lot of things I want to do with that Test team and that’s going to be a decision I’ll probably have to think about a lot. But who knows where everything is?” “I’ve got a little clean up ahead of me so you never know, the body could be in a much better position than it has been in the last 18 months.”
Stokes, who reversed his one-day retirement to participate in the World Cup, will undergo surgery on his left knee once he returns home. He had hoped to be fit to tour India with the England Test team in January.
“I should do it,” he said. “I’ve been working hard outside of cricket to give myself the best chance of a quicker recovery and with Christmas and everything coming up, the main thing for me is to get this knee better and be ready and raring to go.” for that Test series in India.”
Stokes said that while leaving India with a win allowed England to end the tournament on a positive note, it would not paper over the cracks that had emerged in their 50-over game.
“It’s a lot nicer to get on the plane and go home with a win in the last game than it is to get there with a loss,” Stokes said. “But I don’t think the last two games overshadow, whatever the right word is, what this tournament has been like for us as a group and as individuals. It’s obviously been very disappointing. We’re very aware of that, very honest about that.”
Stokes was also unable to explain where England’s title defense had fallen apart.
“I’ve said it a few times when I’m constantly asked what went wrong, can you point it out? No. We’ve just been, I’ll rephrase that, we’ve been a bit rubbish.” ,” he said.
“We in the locker room, the people on the outside, will obviously feel frustrated. We are dumbfounded as to why things have gone the way they have. But look, if someone could have the answer to situations that a team like us found ourselves in eight years ago weeks, they would be an absolute genius.
“Obviously it’s going to be very frustrating looking back and it’s going to be one of those things that, as professional athletes and professional sports people, we’re going to have to overcome because there’s always something else around the corner, there’s always something else to look forward to.” There’s always another big tournament to play in and one thing I’ve lived my career by is that you’re only as good as the next game, which keeps you very, very level through success or failure.
“Success is brilliant, but failure can also be an amazing thing to give people experience, especially youngsters who are trying to make their way in international cricket. Our senior players are very frustrated and the younger ones who are trying to make their way They will be frustrated.” “Being very frustrated with how things have gone. But through failures and frustration, that can also take you to the next level as much as success.”
