The newly appointed coach of the England test matches, Steven Fleming, believes it would be 'wrong' to insist that former captain Ben Stokes reconsider his decision to permanently leave international competition before the Ashes next year.
Stokes announced the end of his career with the England team and his four-year tenure as captain of the Test side during the loss to New Zealand at Trent Bridge in June, which led to a 2-1 series outcome.
Currently, the 35-year-old athlete continues to play for his club Durham and participated in the Big Bash League in Australia with the Adelaide Strikers.
However, Fleming, who met with Stokes shortly after arriving in England, downplayed the possibility of such a 'miraculous return.' He told reporters that he visited Durham and spoke with Ben, noting that he looked happy and completely satisfied with his decision. Fleming previously worked with Stokes at Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.
Later, speaking to the BBC, Fleming emphasized that he would not push Stokes to change his mind. He stated: 'I respect his decision too much. Trying to change it or question it is wrong.'
England's Prospects
Fleming, a former New Zealand captain, was appointed in July but only started working recently, having missed a recent series of matches against Pakistan (3-0) due to family circumstances. On Saturday, he witnessed England's victory over Sri Lanka in a T20 series in Manchester.
While at Old Trafford, he spoke with his predecessor and colleague, Brendon McCullum, former New Zealand captain, who still leads England's baseball teams despite being dismissed as head test coach. Fleming expressed a desire to move England from sixth place in the rankings back to the top, something not seen since 2012, and also to improve their unsatisfactory results in the World Test Championship.
'I would really like to lead the number one team in the world,' said Fleming. 'There have been some really good moments [for this team], but I think there is still a lot more to give.'
England has never come close to a final in any of the three WTC finals and is unlikely to qualify for next year's showcase match at The Oval. Fleming added: 'England could do much more than that.' He continued: 'If this is one of the highest trophies in world cricket, why shouldn't we try to win it along with every other major event that comes to us?'
It is expected that the relationship between Fleming and McCullum will be key to the success of England's new split coaching system, as they are not only former teammates but also close friends and business partners. Fleming, aged 53, is nine years older than McCullum, noting: 'It's nice to have the opportunity to work with him; it's been some time. It's an advantage that we can speak frankly and openly and be decisive... We don't need to waste time getting to know each other as coaches.'