England Test captain Ben Stokes has publicly endorsed head coach Brendon McCullum to remain in his role, even after the team's failure to reclaim the Ashes urn in Australia. With one final Test in Sydney remaining, Stokes expressed unwavering confidence in the partnership that has revolutionized England's red-ball cricket.
Stokes Sees No Other Leader for England's Future
Speaking ahead of the Sydney Test, the 34-year-old all-rounder left no room for doubt about his preferred leadership team. Ben Stokes stated that he and Brendon McCullum are unequivocally the right people to guide English cricket forward in the near future. He admitted he could not envision anyone else partnering with him to elevate the team from its current position.
"There is no doubt in my mind me and Brendon are the right people to carry on doing this for the near future," Stokes asserted. "I've thoroughly enjoyed the time I've worked with Brendon. I can't see there being someone else who I could take this team [with] from where we are now to even bigger heights."
Acknowledging a Dip in Consistency
While backing the coach, Stokes candidly addressed the team's recent performances. He acknowledged that England had not maintained the same level of consistency over the past 12 months compared to the initial two-and-a-half to three years of their tenure. This period of inconsistency culminated in the Ashes series loss in Australia.
"You look back at how things have gone over the last year, the results and the consistency hasn't quite been there from the first few years we were in charge," Stokes reflected. The captain emphasized that their philosophy has always been about constant progression and refusing to stand still.
Planning for the Next Level Post-Ashes
Stokes revealed that the immediate plan for him and McCullum is to use their upcoming time off to strategize. Their focus will be on identifying the steps required to push the team to the next level of performance.
"So for us as captain and coach, when we do have the time off, we need to put our heads together and go 'What is it that we think we need to do to go to the next level?'" Stokes explained. He added that their goal is to find ways to push the squad even further than they have managed since taking over the reins.
Stokes also addressed McCullum's expanded role, which now includes coaching England's white-ball teams since his appointment in September 2024 and assumption of duties from January 2025. Stokes firmly stated that this dual responsibility has not negatively impacted their relationship or the Test team's environment.
"He has got two jobs to do now. It has not influenced the relationship we have with this Test team whatsoever," the England captain concluded, solidifying his support for the former New Zealand skipper amidst a challenging tour.
