Former England captain Ben Stokes made an important statement regarding his future after leaving international cricket. Following the announcement of his retirement from international sports, his focus is now on coaching. Stokes stated that he aims to become the head coach of the England team in the future and has already begun preparing for this goal.
Stokes previously announced his departure from international cricket on June 28, 2026, after playing 122 Test matches, 114 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 43 T20 international matches. He is currently undergoing training to obtain Level-3 qualification so that he can immediately take on coaching duties after retiring.
During an interview on the 'Love of Cricket' podcast, Stokes revealed that he is acquiring Level-3 qualification parallel to his playing career. His objective is to have all necessary formalities completed in advance so that he can start working as a coach without delay after retirement. He emphasized that he clearly understands what he wants to do after sports and believes that coaching is the most suitable path for him, as he wishes to remain part of the world of sport in some capacity. He added that he would be proud of the opportunity to coach the England team if such an offer arises, noting that the role of a leader has always appealed to him, even off the field.
After his departure, Stokes passed the captaincy of the England team to Joe Root. While Stokes is confident in Root's ability to handle the responsibility, he also expressed concern that the pressure of captaincy might be too heavy for Root. He hopes that Root will succeed in the captaincy role and enjoy working alongside Stephen Fleming. Stokes mentioned that he previously worked with Fleming and knows how positive the collaboration with him is.
The former captain stated that he made it clear to Root that his main concern is Root himself. He observed that Root has always prioritized the team's interests over his own and has dealt with personal difficulties. Stokes recalled that he himself faced many challenging situations when taking responsibility for a team. Therefore, he does not want Root to go through similar pressure and mental strain. In Stokes' opinion, the team must always come first, but maintaining the captain's mental and physical health is equally important.
