NOTTINGHAM: Ben Stokes backed Harry Brook to succeed him as England’s Test captain after bowing out of international cricket, saying the gifted batsman had his “100 percent support”.

Stokes dramatically announced he would be retiring from England duty on Sunday’s fourth afternoon of the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, saying he was “burnt out” after four years as skipper.

The 35-year-old all-rounder, normally a middle-order batsman, then opened the innings as England tried to attack a stiff run chase of 373.

But he was out before Sunday’s close, with Stokes reduced to a spectator on his last day of England duty in Nottingham on Monday as New Zealand won by a thumping 160 runs to seal a 2-1 victory in a three-match series.

Brook is already the captain of England’s white-ball teams and the gifted 27-year-old batsman is also the official vice-captain of the Test side.

But when Stokes was omitted from the second Test against New Zealand for breaking a midnight team curfew, it was former skipper Joe Root who led England at The Oval.

Brook was denied the role after he was involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington, New Zealand, ahead of England’s woeful 2025-26 4-1 Ashes series loss in Australia — an incident that led to the imposition of the curfew.

Stokes, speaking to reporters at Trent Bridge after Monday’s stumps, said: “I know with all the controversy over the last couple of weeks, decisions were made. They were decisions I was not part of making.

“You are asked to be vice-captain for a reason, and I was vice-captain under Joe for a long time. It’s the natural progression, if the captain is not there you step up.

“There is absolutely no reason why Harry shouldn’t be asked to do that.”

Stokes said there was no way of knowing for sure if captaincy would boost or hinder Brook, who has an impressive batting average of over 53 in 38 Tests.

But with England’s three-Test series at home to Pakistan starting in August, Stokes had no doubts about the identity of the new red-ball skipper.

“If I was to be asked who I think should do it, I would be throwing my 100 percent support behind Harry Brook,” he said.

Stokes, however, was less enthusiastic about England head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key, the other two architects of a ‘Bazball’ era seemingly now at an end.

Monday’s reverse was England’s seventh defeat in their last nine Tests and also sealed a rare series loss on home soil.

Stokes, asked if McCullum and Key were still the men to take England forward, replied: “What me, Brendon and Rob have managed to do over four-and-a-half years, I’m not going to lie, it’s been an interesting ride.

“We’ve had incredible highs and some pretty low lows as well. It’s always worked and connected pretty well in terms of what we’ve wanted to achieve. It doesn’t always work out the way you want it to work out.”

McCullum, in a separate press conference, was asked if he had tried to talk Stokes, whose personality he said “almost transcends” cricket, out of his decision to quit international cricket.

“Yes but you know Ben, with no success whatsoever actually,” replied McCullum.

“When he grabbed me yesterday [Sunday] morning when we arrived at the ground, he said ‘Baz I’m done’.”

Stokes intends to play on for county side Durham, but he denied suggestions he could yet face arch-rivals Australia during next year’s Ashes in England.

“I’m done,” said Stokes, adding: “I know it’s the Ashes but I’ll probably be watching it in a hospitality box somewhere.”

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2026