Ben Stokes backs Harry Brook, however who must be England’s subsequent Check captain?

There was no beating across the bush from Ben Stokes.

Unshackled after his last Check, maybe now not required to meticulously contemplate what he tells the general public, the retiring Stokes made it clear who he thinks ought to succeed him as England captain.

“If I was asked who I think should do it, I would be throwing my 100 per cent support behind Harry Brook,” Stokes stated.

Brook, England’s vice-captain, was ignored for the captaincy for the second Check in opposition to New Zealand at The Oval within the aftermath of the nightclub incident that noticed Stokes stood down.

The England hierarchy turned to former Check captain Joe Root on that event, however Stokes believes the “phenomenally talented” Brook is his pure successor.

“There’s a reason why he was asked to be vice-captain of this team,” Stokes added.

“I do know with all of the controversy of the final couple of weeks there have been some choices that have been made, however these have been choices that I wasn’t a part of making.

“You’re asked to be vice-captain of a team for a certain reason. I was vice-captain under Joe for a long time. It’s the natural progression. If the captain is not there or unavailable, then you step up to be that.

“There’s completely no motive why Harry should not be requested to try this. He is an unimaginable participant, one of many extra senior gamers on this group – everyone knows he is a phenomenally gifted particular person with regards to his talent as a batter.

“If you lump a bit more responsibility on his shoulders with this team, we don’t know if that’s going to show any more improvement in the skills he’s already got. Only time will tell.

“However you do not ask somebody to be vice-captain when you do not assume they have the talents or the flexibility to captain the staff when they should.”

An all-format captain to exchange Stokes?

Brendon McCullum has been performing the twin position of head coach to England’s Check and white-ball groups since January 2025.

McCullum, who appointed Brook as captain of England’s white-ball sides in April 2025, was requested whether or not Stokes’ substitute ought to carry out the roles throughout all codecs.

“Those are conversations we need to have in due course,” McCullum stated.

“We’ve got a few weeks until the next Test series [vs Pakistan from August 19]. We’ve got time to sit down and map out what that looks like.

“We have robust leaders within the facet and choices to utilise. They will not be Ben Stokes, who was very a lot his personal kind of chief, one all of us adored.

“There will need to be some work put in there but that is just the nature of things.

“Nobody can play or captain perpetually. We need to rejoice Stokes’ captaincy and profession, in time we are going to begin to consider choices.”

‘Sing off the identical hymnsheet’

Former England captain Nasser Hussain accepts Brook is a pure match to work alongside McCullum as Check captain, however has warned of the added strain given their white-ball commitments.

“It really depends what happens with the hierarchy at the top,” Hussain stated. “If you are going to continue with [managing director Rob] Key and McCullum, then Brook fits that perfectly.

“You’ll be able to think about the type of play with McCullum – it will likely be on the constructive facet. If that’s the method you go, then I’d go along with Brook, however that places a variety of workload on Brook, because it does McCullum.

“Michael Atherton feels it puts too much on McCullum. You can’t have him across the board doing everything.

“In the event that they transfer on from the coach and director of cricket and go down a unique path, with an old-style coach, then you’ll get an old-style captain. They’ve to suit collectively; they need to sing off the identical hymnsheet.”

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