Ben Stokes, one of the world’s greatest cricketers, made a stunning retirement announcement on the fourth day of the deciding England Test at Trent Bridge. His shock exit appeared to have been triggered by burnout and an increasingly strained relationship with the England Cricket Board. Plus perhaps a serious facial injury he suffered in March after being hit by a ball in the Durham nets which had more of an effect than he has admitted publicly.
“It might sound quite selfish but this decision is genuinely the best thing for me right now,” Stokes said. He said he had been considering ending his career since England’s Ashes defeat in Australia in December 2025.
Born 4 June 1991 Christchurch, New Zealand, he is a Sun Gemini inconjunct Neptune Uranus sextile Pluto; and trine/sextile Saturn in Aquarius opposition Mars Jupiter in Leo. Unravelling that – a yod focal point Sun will have problems with too little self-worth and then too much, so he will wobble from one to the other. Uranus Neptune conjunct is highly strung. Saturn opposition Mars can be edgy, short-tempered and resentful, weighed down by problems; Saturn opposition Jupiter will be up and down in mood.
He has been open about the mental health issues he has faced with anxiety and panic attacks through his career.
At the moment his Solar Arc Sun is exactly opposition his Neptune for a lacklustre, undermining year. Alongside that tr Pluto opposition his Mars in Leo would bring feelings of being stuck, frustrated and blocked in. With tr Pluto in hard aspect to his Mars/Saturn midpoint probably over his March accident, bringing a significant setback. Tr Pluto will continue on to conjunct his Saturn in 2027/28 so retirement initially will be hard going. Though gradually tr Pluto opposing first his Mars/Jupiter midpoint and then his Jupiter in 2029/30 should bounce him up again.
He is a complex person. All emotions and instinct.
Question for all the Astro-experts here – is there any chance of him returning for The Ashes next summer, or is this retirement final?