ICC raises questions over Ben Stokes' retirement video. Check the full controversy

A couple of days ago, England's former captain & star all-rounder Ben Stokes announced his retirement from international cricket. He informed his teammates in the dressing room of his retirement decision on the 4th day of the ENG vs NZ 3rd Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. ECB released a video of his retirement speech. However, after his retirement, A new controversy has emerged. The discussion centres not on the retirement itself, but on a video released by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on social media while the match was still in progress. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is asking for an official explanation from the ECB regarding this matter.

The ECB recorded Ben Stokes’ emotional retirement speech and posted it on social media without waiting for the match to conclude. Notably, when the video was made public, Stokes was bowling on the field, serving as captain, and the game was still underway. 

This is where the controversy began. The ICC holds the view that video and audio recorded within the 'Players & Match Officials Area' should not be released to the public before the match ends. According to ICC protocols, such footage recorded in the dressing room can either be released without audio or published only after the match has concluded. Consequently, the ICC has asked the ECB for a response regarding this incident.

According to reports, the ICC had previously informed the ECB about these regulations. Despite this, the video was released with audio during the match, which raised concerns about a potential protocol violation.

Now, Ben Stokes also reacted to the entire matter. Sharing a post on the social media platform X, he wrote just two words: "Sack him." While many took Stokes' comment in a lighthearted manner, it nevertheless sparked discussion within the cricketing world.

Sack him … https://t.co/LYQ5ZlYqDE

— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) July 9, 2026

As of now, the ICC has not imposed any penalty or fine on the ECB; the board has merely been asked to explain. Further action will be determined based on the ECB's response and the ICC's subsequent review.

Although England lost the Test series against New Zealand 1-2, Ben Stokes has had a magnificent international career. Over the course of his career, he scored more than 11,000 runs and took over 350 wickets across Test, ODI, and T20 formats, establishing himself as one of England's greatest all-rounders.