Ben Stokes has labelled the decision not to hold a men’s Ashes Test at Headingley next year “shambolic”, after England captaincy successor Joe Root also expressed disappointment that Leeds was left off the schedule.
And the retired former skipper has fuelled even more speculation around coming out of retirement for the blockbuster series, after a dominant performance on his County Championship return led to an easy win for Durham.
Speaking after England’s emphatic first Test win over Pakistan, Root said it was a “shame” his Yorkshire home ground would miss out on staging a match during the 2027 men’s Ashes.
Watch every ball of Australia vs Bangladesh Test Series live and ad-break free during play with Fox Cricket on Kayo | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
Stokes, posting a screenshot of Root’s words, said in a social media post: “Shame is an understatement tbh. Shambolic would be more appropriate. Great win though.”
Stokes had said he was “devastated” there would be no men’s Ashes Tests in northern England next year when the schedule was first announced in 2023.
Headingley will host the one-off women’s Ashes Test.
It has been under two months since Stokes’ abrupt retirement from international cricket during their third Test loss to New Zealand, at the end of a tumultuous series that saw him suspended for the second Test for breaching a team curfew.
But Brendon McCullum’s axing as Test coach shortly after led to speculation the star all-rounder could come out of retirement, with the pair’s relationship having grown strained following the 2025/26 Ashes.
Making his county cricket return for second-tier club Durham against Derbyshire, Stokes was in vintage form, dominating with bat and ball to set up an emphatic 338-run victory.
The 35-year old backed up his first-innings half-century with a breezy unbeaten 66 off 55 balls, featuring six fours and three sixes, with former Test teammate Shoaib Bashir (3/77 off 16 overs) among those on the receiving end of the onslaught.
Stokes was even more dominant with the ball, taking 5/17 – including three wickets in his first over – to bowl Derbyshire out for 84 in just 25.3 overs.
Stokes ended the match with 119 runs, following his first-innings 53, as well as seven wickets, to prove he’s got plenty left in the tank … if a retirement about-face is in his plans.
He famously went back on his decision to call it quits for ODI cricket heading into the 2023 World Cup, though the decision proved ill-fated as England endured a disastrous tournament to fail to make it through to the semi-finals.