Ben Stokes has responded to criticism from England great Ian Botham with a tongue-in-cheek social media post after announcing his retirement from international cricket.Stokes, who retired from international cricket during the Trent Bridge Test against New Zealand last month, was the subject of a light-hearted remark from Botham on the Test Match Special podcast. Reflecting on Stokes’ retirement, Botham joked that the England captain had now joined an exclusive club. “As we know Michael Vaughan & I. We don’t know what we’re talking about. Couple of old has-beens. “Ben, if you’re listening congratulations you’ve joined the club. You’re now a has-been,” Botham said. Stokes quickly responded on X, referencing a famous quote often attributed to Botham himself. “The quote ‘It’s better to be a has-been than a never-been’ originates from Lord Ian Botham,” Stokes posted.

Ben Stokes post

The exchange comes shortly after Botham had publicly criticised Stokes following an incident in which the England captain and fast bowler Gus Atkinson breached the team’s midnight curfew while celebrating England’s victory in the first Test against New Zealand. Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Botham questioned Stokes’ judgement and said he was disappointed by the episode, especially given the support he had previously shown the all-rounder during difficult moments in his career. “Some people just don’t learn, do they? It’s as simple as that. We as a club, when he had the problems in Bristol, we stood by Ben Stokes, and I stood by him as chairman, but I really can’t see how you can justify what happened after the game,” Botham said. Stokes retired as one of England’s greatest all-rounders, bringing down the curtain on a 15-year international career that included more than 250 appearances across formats and numerous memorable performances for his country.