Ben Stokes has become the talk of the town in the cricket industry after he announced a shock retirement from the ODI format of the game. He’s one of the best all-rounders in the world, a World Cup winner, and also a vital cog in the current England white-ball setup. Several cricketers came out in support and posted congratulatory messages for Stokes as well.
However, the underlying issue of additional workload came out to the fore, as many cricketers have in the past also raised similar concerns. These issues haven’t been addressed appropriately in the past, with Virat Kohli also suffering today because of years of playing every cricket format possible. One such player who addressed it many years ago was English batsman, Kevin Pietersen.
Kevin Pietersen on ECB workload
“After a great deal of thought and deliberation, I am announcing my retirement from international one-day cricket. With the intensity of the international schedule and the increasing demands on my body, approaching 32, it is the right time to step aside and let the next generation of players come through.” You might think that this was Stokes’ words but it was actually a much younger Kevin Pietersen.
Here, KP was expressing this concern way back in 2012. However, given his bad boy image, he wasn’t taken seriously at all. And experts believe that Stokes’ decision to retire should ideally prompt change, but it may not at all. Because this has been a problem since years, one that is yet to be tackled the right way. It’s not the first time an English cricketer at the top of his game has decided to step away early.
SEE ALSO: List of top online sports betting websites
Today, KP would’ve surely been in support of Stokes’ decision to move away from ODIs, but he also took time to reminisce and remind his followers that he had done something very similar many years ago. He had decided to step away from ODIs because of a heavy toll on his body, but the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) decided to punish him by banning him from T20Is too.
I once said the schedule was horrendous and I couldn’t cope, so I retired from ODI cricket & the ECB banned me from T20s too………….🤣
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) July 19, 2022
“I once said the schedule was horrendous and I couldn’t cope, so I retired from ODI cricket & the ECB banned me from T20s too………….🤣” he tweeted a few hours ago. Packed international schedules, plus franchise leagues like IPL and T20 Blast, and the added new-age problems of bio-bubbles. All this leads to a massive toll on the human body.
In Pietersen’s case, it was the beginning of a love hate relationship with the English board, and the beginning of the end of his career too. We hope this won’t be the case with Stokes, or with any young and talented player in the future too. Today before his final ODI, Stokes commented that players aren’t cars who you can fill petrol in and expect a 100% every time!
For similar cricket and other sports news from around the world, stay tuned to ReadScoops.com…
Register on Sapphire and get a 100% first deposit bonus
