'Brilliant story if he does': England leave door open for Stokes' Ashes return
England cricket managing director Rob Key has left the door open for Ben Stokes to return to international cricket before the 2027 Ashes. While Stokes has not indicated a desire to return, management remains optimistic about a potential comeback.
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This story tracks the career trajectory of a high-profile athlete and the strategic planning of a national sports organization.
England men's team managing director Rob Key has not ruled out the possibility of Ben Stokes returning to international cricket before next year's Ashes, saying "anything is possible with Ben."Stokes stepped down as England's Test captain and retired from international cricket after England lost the Test series to New Zealand 2-1 in June. That defeat came after a 4-1 Ashes series loss to Australia during the previous winter.The 35-year-old had also been ruled out of the second Test against New Zealand after breaching a midnight curfew while celebrating England's victory in the opening Test.There was speculation after the incident that Stokes was unhappy with the way he had been treated by England's management.
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