So, a decision Stokes finalised when he was putting on his pads on Saturday leaves England staring at a future they would have hoped to have delayed for much longer.
Who becomes the new captain? Stokes said he “100%” backs Harry Brook, whose challenge is to prove himself to be mature enough to lead the Test team.
What about the balance of the XI, knocked so badly out of kilter when Stokes missed the second Test at The Oval?
Are there any candidates to come in as the all-rounder? Maybe Rehan Ahmed or Sam Curran, at a push. At The Oval, England played an extra batter, cutting their attack and omitting spinner Shoaib Bashir – have his short-term prospects just taken a hit?
More broadly, Stokes’ departure means England have lost another world-class player, continuing a three-year procession through the exit door.
Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali have all retired. Jonny Bairstow and Mark Wood will probably never play Test cricket again. Joe Root is the only active England Test player to know what it is like to win an Ashes series, the sole survivor of the school of former coach Andy Flower.
As for the suggestion that Stokes’ retirement could be temporary, that he could be coaxed back for a last crack at the Aussies next summer, he was having none of it.
“I’ll be in a hospitality box somewhere,” said Stokes. He will probably do that at full throttle, too.
It leaves the rest of us to ponder what might become of this England team.
Who will bowl the spells? Who will hit the sixes? Who will take the catches? Who will bring the derring-do? Who is the patron saint of lost causes? Who will be there when everything seems lost?
Ben Stokes is gone, and so are the moments.
