England men’s managing director Rob Key has claimed that the allrounder Ben Stokes is interested in the role of the team’s white-ball captain. Key revealed that Stokes wasn’t yet offered the captaincy but the allrounder didn’t refuse picking up the role.
Ben Stokes is currently England’s Test captain and hasn’t played any white-ball game since the ODI World Cup 2023. The last few years of his career have been hampered with various injuries and he has spent much of his time in recovery or rehabilitation.
Because of his injury-prone body, Stokes has prioritised playing Test cricket for England. Both him and Brendon McCullum are responsible for bringing a unique style of play known as ‘Bazball’ into England’s Test set-up.
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Ben Stokes interested in becoming England’s white-ball captain: Rob Key
It is believed that Rob Key has already conveyed the idea of white-ball captaincy to Ben Stokes. Key met Stokes on a training camp in Abu Dhabi where he was completing his rehabilitation after suffering the left hamstring injury later last year.
Key was asked on BBC Radio 5 about Ben Stokes’ reply after being considered for England’s white-ball captaincy. Key revealed he had not offered Stokes the captaincy yet but claimed that he had informed the allrounder and received a positive response in return.
“I haven’t really spoken to him about it, to be honest. I (just) sort of said to him the other day, (after) when I did the round table (interview) with the written journalists, and said (to Stokes) ‘Oh, by the way, I have just said you are in consideration for the white-ball gig’,” Key said.
“And he sort of then puts the thumbs-up emoji and stuff like that, as if to say: ‘OK’ – not that I have offered him that, but they are the sort of conversations that we have,” the ECB managing director added.
“I am going to think pretty hard” – Rob Key
Rob Key further mentioned that there is no possibility of Ben Stokes being the captain despite him being among the frontrunners for the role. He feels that Stokes needs to be given time to make a proper comeback and then decide depending upon his future in 50-over cricket.
“I am going to think pretty hard, along with a few other people, over the next few weeks and try and work out what we think the best thing is,” the former England cricketer said.
“I do think it’s interesting with Stokes and whether 50-over cricket is for him, but then he is out in Abu Dhabi at the moment, getting himself back fit, and there is obviously a risk with doing that,” he added.
Jos Buttler’s bitter end to captaincy tenure
Jos Buttler resigned as England’s white-ball captain after the team’s dismal Champions Trophy campaign just a few days ago. England lost to Afghanistan and failed to qualify for the semi-finals.
As a result, Buttler decided to give up the captaincy. Along with Stokes, vice-captain Harry Brook is another candidate for this role but he is still young and remains to be seen whether he can handle the workload.
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