New Delhi: Former skipper expressed his ambition to coach England in the future and suggested that he had retired for good and opened up on his longer-term goals, ruling out the possibility of making an international return during the 2027 Ashes series.
Stokes retired from international cricket after the Test series against New Zealand, bringing the curtain down on one of the most remarkable careers in English cricket. The decision came after a tough week when Stokes missed the second Test of the series due to an incident at a London nightclub.
“I know what I want to do in terms of staying within the game – which is to be a coach. 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 any more, I’d love to be able to have all that stuff signed off and done,” said Stokes on For The Love of Cricket podcast hosted by former team-mates Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler.
“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 just really like the idea of being, again, like, in some form of leadership away from playing,” he said.
Stokes, who had backed Harry Brook to succeed him in the role, expressed surprise at Joe Root being appointed to the role instead of Brook, who was promoted to Stokes’ vice-captain in the Test side for last winter’s Ashes tour.
“I think just if you think someone’s going to be a good captain or a good leader, then just give it to them. 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?” said Stokes.
“I love Rooty. I wish him nothing but success. I hope he goes on to achieve amazing things in his role of captain, and I think he’s going to really enjoy it with Flem. He’s a great man. I’ve worked with Flem before,’ he said.
Stokes held the Test captaincy for four years from 2022, working alongside head coach Brendon McCullum as the pair reshaped England’s playing style, dubbed as ‘Bazball’.
McCullum’s exit from his Test role was announced two weeks after Stokes announced his retirement. Later, England appointed former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming as the new Test coach.
McCullum’s four-year tenure as Test coach began in 2022 and saw an initially blockbuster period of progressive cricket built on ultra-aggressive batting. But the team’s fortunes plummeted of late, losing seven of their past nine Tests.
“I was surprised. If I hadn’t made the decision that I made four weeks ago, Baz would still be coach. So it’s my fault!” said Stokes.
Stokes added, “When I told Baz (about retirement), he was making toast, and I just went ‘oh, I’m done’. I’d obviously had discussions with him anyway and then told him over toast.
“Then, again, he was like ‘yeah, I’ve been given the tap on the shoulder’ and I was like ‘oh’. But he’s still very excited and very happy to be moving forward with the white-ball because he’s doing a very good job there.”
Stokes also ruled out any possibility of returning in next summer’s home Ashes series after Rob Key, the managing director of the England men’s cricket team, said the door is still open for him to come out of international retirement.
“I never once thought, ‘I’m just going to give it up and just keep going as a player’. I’m 35. If I’m not going to be captain, I think I’d find it tough to do it. Not saying because I’d find it tough to be led by someone else. I just think because I’ve given so much of this part of my career to my job, if I’m going to be play for England it’s going to be as captain.
“I was very comfortable retiring from playing and not thinking about playing for England,” he said.
