Nottingham, June 29 -- England skipper Ben Stokes described his retirement from international cricket as a carefully considered and deeply personal decision, saying it was made only after exhausting every possibility of carrying on.

The England great admitted he wanted to continue beyond this week but realised it "wasn't meant to be."

Tom Latham-led New Zealand defeated England by 160 runs in the third Test at Trent Bridge, securing a 2-1 series win against the hosts on Monday.

The match also marked the end of Ben Stokes' international career, as he experienced his first home series defeat both as a player and as captain.

Reflecting on his career, Stokes said he is immensely proud of what he achieved and grateful to have brought joy t...