Stokes hits back at Botham after “has-been” jibe
Author: Vishnu Reddy
Updated At:
Ben Stokes has responded to Ian Botham after the former England great joked that the recently retired all-rounder had joined the “has-beens club”.
Botham made the remark on BBC Test Match Special, saying: “As we know, Michael Vaughan and I… We don’t know what we’re talking about. A 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 then replied on X: “The quote "It's better to be a has-been than a never-been" originates from Lord Ian Botham.”
The exchange came after Botham had also criticised Stokes over an incident in which Stokes and 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’s judgement and said he was disappointed by the episode.
“Some people just don't learn. When everything happened in Bristol, the club stood firmly behind him. I was chairman at the time, and everyone supported him. I struggle to understand what happened after the game at Lord's, especially when you were probably the person responsible for setting the midnight curfew,” said Botham.
The dispute between the two dates back to England’s Ashes preparations in Perth last November, when England opted for an internal practice match at a local club and Botham questioned the decision.
Stokes later said modern-day preparations were shaped by circumstances different from those faced by players of previous generations, before clarifying that he had misspoken and apologising for the remark.
Stokes retired from international cricket during the Trent Bridge Test against New Zealand last month, bringing down the curtain on a 15-year international career that included more than 250 appearances across formats.
Botham’s comment came during England’s opening ODI against India at Edgbaston, Birmingham, a fixture held in support of the Bob Willis Trust.
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