{"id":359135,"date":"2026-07-01T10:20:51","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T04:50:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=359135"},"modified":"2026-07-01T10:20:51","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T04:50:51","slug":"ben-stokes-backs-harry-brook-as-natural-selection-to-succeed-him-as-england-captain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/01\/ben-stokes-backs-harry-brook-as-natural-selection-to-succeed-him-as-england-captain\/","title":{"rendered":"Ben Stokes backs Harry Brook as \u2018natural\u2019 selection to succeed him as England captain"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Ben Stokes has backed Harry Brook to interchange him as England\u2019s Test captain, insisting it’s a \u201cnatural progression\u201d for his deputy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Twenty 4 hours after dropping the bombshell announcement that he was retiring from international cricket, Stokes appeared for the ultimate time as an England cricketer at Trent Bridge.<\/p>\n

He bowed out in a losing cause, Recent Zealand wrapping up a 160-run win and a 2-1 series scoreline as they gate-crashed Stokes\u2019 leaving party with one other excellent team performance.<\/p>\n

England don’t play red-ball cricket for one more seven weeks, leaving loads of time to put in his successor, but the choice is unlikely to take that long.<\/p>\n

For exclusive stories and all of the detailed\u00a0cricket\u00a0news\u00a0you wish,\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>subscribe to The Cricket Paper<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0website,<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0digital edition, or\u00a0newspaper<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0from as little as 14p a day<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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\"New\"New
SERIES SEALED: Recent Zealand inflicted one other defeat on England
\nPICTURE: Jacob King\/PA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Realistic options<\/h2>\n

Unless they spring an enormous leftfield call, there appears to be only two realistic options \u2013 a second act for Stokes\u2019 predecessor Joe Root or a promotion for vice-captain Harry Brook, who already leads the limited-overs teams.<\/p>\n

It was Root who was pressed into service on the Kia Oval earlier this month, entering into the breach after Stokes was stood down while a disciplinary investigation unfolded right into a nightclub incident that first plunged his reign into doubt.<\/p>\n

Brook was previously involved in a late night altercation with a bouncer the night before an ODI in Wellington last November and there was a sense that asking him to front up a gaggle that has been criticised for its relationship with alcohol wouldn’t have sat easily.<\/p>\n

But Stokes made it clear that he was fully behind Brook, urging the England and Wales Cricket Board to appoint his deputy.<\/p>\n

\"Ben\"Ben
PASSING THE BATON: Ben Stokes believes Harry Brook is the very best person to succeed him as captain
\nPICTURE: Mike Egerton\/PA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Natural progression<\/h2>\n

\u201cIf I used to be to be asked who I feel should do it, I can be throwing my 100 per cent support behind Harry Brook,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a reason he was asked to be vice-captain of this team. <\/p>\n

\u201cI do know with all of the controversy over the past couple of weeks some decisions were made but they were decisions I used to be not part of constructing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou might be asked to be vice-captain for a reason and I used to be vice-captain under Joe for a very long time. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the natural progression: if the captain is just not there, you step up. You don\u2019t ask someone to be vice-captain if you happen to don\u2019t think he\u2019s got the abilities and talent to captain the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is completely no reason why Harry shouldn\u2019t be asked to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Harry\"Harry
TOO SOON TO LEAD?: Harry Brook has had his own off-field issues
PICTURE: Mike Egerton\/PA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Interesting ride<\/h2>\n

Stokes offered a less effusive take when it got here to move coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key, the opposite two power players of the \u2018Bazball\u2019 era that has now closed.<\/p>\n

After seven defeats within the last nine Tests, and a rare home series defeat on their record, each men have to see an improvement in results and a discount in off-field headlines.<\/p>\n

Asked if McCullum and Key were the boys to take the team forward, he said: \u201cWhat me, Brendon and Rob have managed to do over 4 and a half years, I\u2019m not going to lie, it\u2019s been an interesting ride.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had incredible highs and a few pretty low lows as well. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all the time worked and connected pretty much by way of what we\u2019ve wanted to realize. It doesn\u2019t all the time work out the best way you wish it to work out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m done now, I don\u2019t should take those kind of selections and be involved in all that stuff. <\/p>\n

\u201cOne in all the good feelings of the situation I\u2019m in now’s that I don\u2019t should worry about that stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Rob\"Rob
PRESSURE MOUNTING: England head coach Brendon McCullum with Rob Key
PICTURE: Robbie Stephenson\/PA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018I\u2019m done\u2019<\/h2>\n

Stokes has form with treating retirements as temporary affairs, ending his ODI profession only to return for the 2023 World Cup. <\/p>\n

He also persuaded Moeen Ali to come back back for one last Ashes task after he walked away from Test cricket.<\/p>\n

But he insisted speculation that he may very well be tempted back to face Australia next summer was wide of the mark.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m done,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had a number of questions asking whether I\u2019ll find a way to take a seat on my sofa watching next 12 months. I comprehend it\u2019s the Ashes but I\u2019ll probably be watching it in a hospitality box somewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/em><\/strong> England well beaten by Recent Zealand as Ben Stokes era ends on a low note<\/p>\n

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Ben Stokes has backed Harry Brook to interchange him as England\u2019s Test captain, insisting it’s a \u201cnatural progression\u201d for his deputy. Twenty 4 hours after dropping the bombshell announcement that he was retiring from international cricket, Stokes appeared for the ultimate time as an England cricketer at Trent Bridge. He bowed out in a losing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":359136,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20675],"tags":[761,5911,15022,5370,1752,5386,1937,5605,5385,9185],"class_list":["post-359135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cricket","tag-backs","tag-ben","tag-brook","tag-captain","tag-choice","tag-england","tag-harry","tag-natural","tag-stokes","tag-succeed"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t