Ben Stokes never changed into his playing kit on his final day as an international cricketer, spending the day in England training gear after his participation in the third Test against New Zealand was ended by his dismissal on Sunday evening. Instead, he could only watch from the dressing-room as New Zealand took the six wickets they needed to seal a 160-run win.
After completing his final round of media duties - a Test Match Special interview, the post-match presentation, and a half-hour press conference - Stokes was presented with a £700 bottle of single-malt whiskey by Joe Root in the England dressing-room, in a box signed by his team-mates, then celebrated with family and friends on the outfield.
He has made clear that, unlike previous England captains Nasser Hussain and Andrew Strauss, he intends to play on after the end of his international career. But exactly what lies ahead for Stokes is uncertain, and despite his attempts to shut it down on Monday, the prospect of him reversing his retirement to play in next summer's Ashes will be discussed indefinitely.
Most immediately, Stokes' plan is to go on safari with his family as a late birthday present for his son Layton. "When this Test match is done, I'll be waking up in a lodge with the white rhinos merking about in the background," he said. "[I'm] very much looking forward to that, a little bit of rest and recoup."
Durham return
Thereafter, Stokes intends to play for Durham at some stage this season, after he spoke glowingly about how much he had enjoyed his two days back for their County Championship match against Northamptonshire, while he was effectively suspended pending investigation for the second Test at The Oval.
Durham are not yet aware of Stokes' exact plans, but it seems likely that he will feature towards the end of the Championship season as they look to confirm promotion back to the top flight as Division Two champions. He had initially planned to play some 50-over cricket in July and August to warm up for England's Tests against Pakistan. "That might change now," he said.
"I texted [Durham head coach] Ryan Campbell [on Sunday] night, just saying, 'Up the Ds'," Stokes said. "I've got a few days away with the family and then I'll let him know what my plans are - and he texts me back saying, 'I've probably got a rookie contract on the table for you if you want it.'"
It is unusual for England players to feature in the Championship after their retirement from Test cricket, though Alastair Cook, James Anderson and Chris Woakes are recent exceptions. Stokes explained that he had started to find the "extra responsibilities" of playing for - and captaining - England too "mentally tiring" to continue.
"I can [now] just go out and play for Durham and play the game, and if I've had a good day or if I've had a bad day, I can just go home, have a bit of dinner and then rock up the next day," he said. "I know it sounds silly, but… it does take its toll."
The franchise circuit
Stokes alluded to taking up "whatever other opportunities there are" and will doubtless be in demand, even though he has not played a T20 match since August 2024. But he did not register for the Hundred auction earlier this year, so is not eligible for a replacement deal.
He is also unlikely to be available for next year's IPL, due to a recent BCCI rule stipulating that overseas players who have played in the IPL previously must register for a mega-auction, or else they will miss the subsequent mini-auctions in the cycle. Stokes did not register for the 2025 mega-auction, so is not expected to become available until the 2028 season, unless the regulations change.
However, he appears likely to play somewhere in the world this winter: South Africa's SA20 is an obvious destination after a hamstring injury forced him to pull out of a lucrative deal with MI Cape Town in 2024-25.
An Ashes comeback?
Speculation that Stokes would return for the 2027 Ashes had started within minutes of him announcing his retirement, and he was pressed on the matter on Monday. "I'm done, mate," he told Jonathan Agnew on Test Match Special, later adding: "I'll probably be watching it in a hospitality box somewhere."
But as long as Stokes is still playing by next June, he will continue to be asked about the prospect of a U-turn. He came out of a short-lived ODI retirement to play in the 2023 World Cup in India, and Brendon McCullum has already acknowledged that England will struggle to replace "a seam-bowling allrounder who can bat in the top seven" after Stokes' 13-year Test career.
Stokes declined an invitation to back McCullum and Rob Key to continue in their roles as head coach and managing director respectively on Monday, with both men under scrutiny. It is easy to see a route to a comeback after time away from the spotlight, particularly if England have a new management team.
Coaching potential
What will Stokes do once he calls time on his playing career at all levels? Most England captains end up moving into broadcasting, but Stokes has shown far more interest in coaching. He has already worked with Andrew Flintoff at Northern Superchargers and England Lions, and may look to stay in the game in that capacity.
Having the last word
Stokes has largely played down the role that the Rex Rooms saga played in the timing of his retirement, but implied on Monday evening that he was unhappy that what he had perceived to be private conversations in the aftermath had reached the media. "Quite a few things that I was feeling ended up being told to a few more people than I was expecting to know," he said.
He previously told his team-mates that reasons "could wait" when informing them of his decision to retire, and has already hinted at a tell-all book. Stokes has previously brought out two autobiographies, and joked with his ghostwriter in Monday's press conference: "We've got a good third book, potentially…"