RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sources'A fairytale Ashes Return!' Australia coach Andrew McDonald claims Ben Stokes story isn't over despite shock England retirement originally appeared on Cricket News .
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Andrew McDonald believes Ben Stokes could return for the next Ashes series.
All-rounder retired mid-Test amid a bar brawl controversy last month.
Joe Root, Marcus Trescothick tipped as potential new England captain, coach.
Andrew McDonald refuses to rule out a Ben Stokes Ashes comeback
Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald remains convinced that international cricket hasn't necessarily seen the final chapter of Ben Stokes' career, holding onto hope that the recently retired all-rounder could still feature when England hosts the Ashes next year.
Stokes stunned the cricketing world last month when he announced his international retirement in the middle of the third and final Test against New Zealand.
His decision came in the aftermath of considerable controversy, having missed the second Test entirely following a bar brawl incident that unfolded after England's win in the series opener. Despite returning for the final match, Stokes dropped his bombshell announcement on the fourth day, catching virtually everyone in the sport off guard.
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Why McDonald sees a fairytale ending ahead for Ben Stokes
Speaking to radio station SEN , McDonald, whose Australian side is set to tour England next year for the next instalment of the Ashes, painted a hopeful picture of Stokes reversing his decision. He suggested that the ideal storyline for the series would involve Stokes emerging from retirement to take on one final Ashes campaign.
"I think the fairytale would be that he comes back out of retirement and takes on one more Ashes and builds a lot of hype on the way in," he said.
"If you're looking at promoting that series, that's probably the angle that you would want, that he comes out of retirement. To me, he's still got a lot of good cricket left in him. It'll be a fascinating watch. I think that whoever the new head coach that comes in potentially has a conversation with him.
"We don't know why Ben left. I don't think there's been anything on the record around the definitive reason as to why. He may have just called it a day on Test cricket, and that's it, so there might be a full stop there."
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England continues their search for new coaching leadership
Joe Root has taken up the Test leadership mantle while former England opener Marcus Trescothick has been linked with the head coach role, albeit on an interim basis for now. McDonald suggested that whoever eventually steps into the coaching position might see an opportunity to personally persuade Stokes into reconsidering his decision.
"There might be an opportunity for that new head coach to potentially twist his arm and bring him back in," he said.
"But if it ends now, he's had a wonderful career in terms of what he's brought to the game, his impact in certain innings and moments in time. It will age pretty well for him to look back on."
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Could Stokes make an England Test comeback?
McDonald's optimism is understandable given how much box-office appeal Stokes brings to any Ashes contest, but there's a fair distinction between wishful thinking and genuine likelihood here.
Players rarely reverse decisions of this magnitude and this deliberately, especially mid-match during an international series, a moment that typically signals deep personal conviction rather than a fleeting emotional reaction.
McDonald's comments read more like a coach acknowledging Stokes' undeniable value to the sport's biggest rivalry than a genuine prediction rooted in inside knowledge. That said, with leadership changes already underway, a persuasive conversation from a new head coach isn't entirely implausible.
Still, framing this as a "fairytale" narrative risks building unrealistic expectations around a decision that, by all accounts, was carefully considered rather than impulsive.
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