After retiring from international cricket, Ben Stokes expressed his “100 percent support” for Harry Brook to take over as England’s Test captain.
On Sunday’s fourth day of the third Test match against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, Stokes made the startling announcement that he would be resigning from England service. He claimed to be “burnt out” after four years as captain.
Then, as England attempted to attack a difficult run chase of 373, the 35-year-old all-rounder—typically a middle-order batsman—opened the innings.
However, Stokes was dismissed before Sunday’s end, and on Monday, his final day of England service in Nottingham, he was relegated to a spectator as New Zealand won by a resounding 160 runs to complete a three-match series 2-1.
In the opening Twenty20 match against India at Chester-le-Street on Wednesday, Brook, who now captains England’s white-ball sides, will lead the team.
The talented 27-year-old batsman serves as the Test team’s official vice-captain. However, former captain Joe Root assumed temporary leadership of the squad after Stokes was left out of the second Test match against New Zealand for violating a midnight team curfew.
Following a fight with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington, New Zealand, prior to England’s disastrous 1-4 Ashes series defeat in Australia in 2025–2026, which resulted in the curfew, Brook was rejected for the position.
Stokes, speaking to reporters at Trent Bridge after Monday’s stumps, said: “There’s a reason he (Brook) was asked to be vice-captain of this team. I know with all the controversy over the last couple of weeks, decisions were made. They were decisions I was not part of making.
“You are asked to be vice-captain for a reason, and I was vice-captain under Joe for a long time. It’s the natural progression, if the captain is not there you step up. There is absolutely no reason why Harry shouldn’t be asked to do that.”
Brook has a remarkable batting average of over 53 in 38 Test matches, but Stokes said it was impossible to say for sure whether being captain will help or hurt him. However, Stokes was certain of the name of the new red-ball captain before England’s three-Test series against Pakistan began at home in August.
“If I was to be asked who I think should do it, I would be throwing my 100 percent support behind Harry Brook,” he said.
Stokes, meanwhile, was less excited about managing director Rob Key and England head coach Brendon McCullum, the other two architects of a “Bazball” period that seemed to be coming to an end. In addition to being England’s seventh loss in their previous nine Test matches, Monday’s result also marked a rare series loss at home.
Stokes, asked if McCullum and Key were still the men to take England forward, replied: “What me, Brendon and Rob have managed to do over four-and-a half-years, I’m not going to lie, it’s been an interesting ride.
“We’ve had incredible highs and some pretty low lows as well. It’s always worked and connected pretty well in terms of what we’ve wanted to achieve. It doesn’t always work out the way you want it to work out.”
Stokes plans to continue playing for county team Durham, although he refuted rumors that he would still play archrivals Australia at the Ashes in England the following year.
“I’m done,” he said. “I’ve had a few questions asking whether I’ll be able to sit on my sofa watching next year. I know it’s the Ashes but I’ll probably be watching it in a hospitality box somewhere.”
