Ben Stokes has rejected suggestions he could reverse his recent England retirement and return for the 2027 Ashes. The former national team captain says he wants to stay in the game and “would love to be coach of England one day”.
Speaking for the first time since his shock decision in June to quit Test cricket, the 35-year-old told the Love of Cricket podcast: “I’m doing my level three coaching now while I’m still playing because I want when the day comes that I’m not playing anymore.
“I’d love to be able to have all that stuff signed off and done. So then I’ve got that option if I want to go into it or I want to be, I have a couple years off and just do whatever I want to do.
“I want to be a coach. I know what I want to do in terms of staying within the game which is to be a coach. And would I love to be coach of England one day? Absolutely. I would love to be able to do that. Do I think it’s going to happen? I don’t know. No idea.”
When asked by former teammate Jos Buttler whether he had definitely retired, Stokes said: “Definitely”.
Stokes had backed Harry Brook, who leads the white-ball sides, to succeed him in the role and he expressed his surprise that he was overlooked.
“I think just if you think someone’s going to be a good captain or a good leader, then just give them it,” said Stokes. “I understood the reasoning but I was still like, well, what message is that sending to him?
“He’s vice-captain. And then the captain is not playing, but he’s not captain. What?”
Stephen Fleming has been confirmed as the new coach of the men’s Test team after Brendon McCullum stepped down, with Joe Root returning for a second spell as captain, and Stokes said: “I wish him [Root] nothing but success. I hope he goes on and achieves amazing things in his role as captain and I think he’s going to really enjoy it with Flem [Fleming]. He’s a great man.
“I’ve worked with Flem before but I told Joe, I said my only worry is just you. And that’s all I really care about now, just because I have seen what he went through and how much he put himself through for someone.
“He’s just always put the team first – he always comes second. And that’s just my only concern with it, is just obviously knowing what he went through last time he was in charge of the team. I don’t want to see that ever happen again because I care for Joe a lot, but I wish him all the success in the world.
“I’m sure he’s going to do great. So I’m looking forward to seeing what the team does going forward.”
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