Ben Stokes has made clear he wants his next chapter in international cricket to come as an England coach, while dismissing any prospect of reversing his retirement decision.
Stokes, 35, stepped away from international cricket in June, bringing an end to a four-year spell as England Test captain. He now plans to continue playing for Durham while also taking up opportunities on the global Twenty20 circuit.
Away from the field, Stokes is already laying the groundwork for a future in coaching by working towards formal qualifications. His interest in that path was underlined earlier this year when he was appointed assistant coach and mentor for England Lions’ white-ball series against Pakistan’s second-string side.
Speaking on the For The Love of Cricket podcast, where he also voiced concern over the effect a return to the captaincy could have on Joe Root, Stokes said: ‘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 … to have all that stuff signed off and done.
‘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.
Ben Stokes announced his shock retirement during the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge
‘I just really like the idea of being, again, like, in some form of leadership away from playing.’
With the Ashes only 10 months away, speculation over a possible Stokes comeback began almost immediately after his farewell press conference, which followed England’s defeat by New Zealand at Trent Bridge five weeks ago.
And given his past exploits versus Australia – like the extraordinary Headingley heist in 2019 – such talk is almost certain to resurface between now and next summer.
England’s director of cricket Rob Key failed to douse such speculation when he remarked “you never know with Ben,” during the press conference to explain the choice of Root and Stephen Fleming as a new coach-captain axis in Test cricket, but speaking publicly for the first time since his Nottingham goodbyes Stokes told podcast host and former team-mate Jos Buttler he had ‘definitely’ retired.
Stokes also explained that the home series against Australia had previously been his career finishing line, saying: ‘I look at planning ahead and I was going “We’ve got the Ashes in 2027.”
‘I spoke to (wife) Clare a lot about this even before I took the decision.You always plan your retirement, right? And it was 2027 Ashes, whatever happens there you’re going “Not sure I go past that”.
‘And then over time (it became): “How am I going to get there? How am I going to get to Australia 2027 with everything, with how everything is feeling at the moment?”
‘Playing for Durham I’m going: “How am I even going to get to end the New Zealand series?” I’m worrying about how I’m going to get there and thinking that Australia is going to be my last one.’
As reported here last week, Sydney Sixers are now favourites to land Stokes for this winter’s Big Bash League in Australia after memorandums of understanding were drawn up between the eight teams and prospective overseas recruits.
As for the future of the team that he believes behind, though? Well, he was surprised to see Harry Brook overlooked as his successor as England prepare to embark on three matches versus Pakistan this month that represent a chance to win a first series since 2024.
Root took the captaincy for the second Test against New Zealand, which Stokes missed while his presence at a Chelsea nightclub in the aftermath of Lord’s win celebrations was being investigated.
And, as first reported by Daily Mail Sport in June, Root was being lined up by the ECB hierarchy to be appointed permanently for a second time once the bombshell Stokes news dropped mid-match.
Afterwards, Stokes endorsed Brook, England’s white-ball captain and his deputy in Tests, amid concerns from others that leadership across all formats would be too much to contend with at this stage of the 27-year-old match winner’s career.
But Stokes said: ‘If you think someone’s going to be a good captain or a good leader, then just give them it.
‘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?’
It leaves Root – whose England record 64-match first spell in charge ended in spring 2022 amid confessions that he and the captaincy were in an unhealthy relationship, infected by Covid restrictions and a run of one win in 17 – to navigate a new path post-Bazball.
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‘I wish him 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. He’s a great man,’ said Stokes.
‘I’ve worked with Flem before but I told Joe: my only worry is just you. And that’s all I really care about now, 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 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.’
