Ben Stokes has openly declared that he would love nothing more than to take on a coaching role with the England cricket team in the future, and he also hinted that former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum would probably still be at the helm of the Test side if Stokes had not announced his retirement weeks earlier. Stokes stepped down from the England Test captaincy and announced his retirement from international cricket after the three‑match series against New Zealand ended in a 2‑1 defeat in June, following a 4‑1 loss in the Ashes to Australia over the previous winter. In a lengthy interview on the "For The Love of Cricket" podcast – hosted by former teammates Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler – the 35‑year‑old reflected on his decision to retire, confirmed that his departure was permanent, and outlined his longer‑term ambitions within the sport.
"I want to be a coach," Stokes said plainly. "I know what I want to do in terms of staying within the game – which is to be a coach. Would I love to be England’s head coach one day? Absolutely.
I would love to be able to do that. Do I think it will happen? I have no idea." He added that, beyond the prospect of a formal coaching appointment, he simply enjoys the idea of remaining in a leadership capacity, even if it is not on the field.
"I just really like the idea of being, again, in some form of leadership away from playing," he explained. Stokes captained England in Test cricket for four seasons, from 2022 until his retirement, working closely with head coach Brendon McCullum as they sought to overhaul the side’s playing philosophy.
McCullum’s own departure from the Test coaching role was confirmed just two weeks after Stokes announced his retirement during the fourth day of England’s third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. Stokes admitted he was surprised by the timing of McCullum’s exit. "If I hadn't made the decision that I made four weeks ago, Baz would still be coach," he said, referring to McCullum by his nickname. When asked about the conversation that led to both of their exits, Stokes recounted a casual moment: "When I told Baz about my retirement he was making toast and I just went ‘oh, I’m done’.
I'd obviously had discussions with him anyway and then told him over toast. Then he was like ‘yeah, I've been given the tap on the shoulder’ and I was like ‘oh’. But he's still very excited and very happy to be moving forward with the white‑ball game because he's doing a very good job there." The interview also turned to the new direction for England’s Test side after former New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming was appointed head coach and Joe Root was reinstated as captain. Stokes said he had spoken with Root, his long‑time teammate and the man who previously led England from 2017 to 2022, when the news broke.
He voiced strong support for Root’s second stint but also expressed a personal concern, recalling the heavy burden Root carried as England’s leading run‑scorer during his first spell. "I love Rooty.
I wish him nothing but success," Stokes said. "I hope he goes on to achieve amazing things in his role of captain, and I think he's going to really enjoy it with Flem.
He's a great man. I've worked with Flem before." Stokes was candid about his worry for his friend: "My only worry is you, Joe.
I saw what you went through and how much you put yourself through. He always put the team first; he always came second. That is just my only concern with it: knowing what he went through last time he was in charge of the team because I don't want to see that ever happen again because I care for Joe a lot." Another point that sparked Stokes’s frustration was the decision not to promote Harry Brook – the current white‑ball captain and Test vice‑captain – to the full Test captaincy. England’s managing director for the men’s side, Rob Key, recently said that it was not the right moment for Brook to take on the role, but that his "time will come".
Stokes challenged that rationale, arguing that leadership opportunities should be granted to those who have earned them. "If you think someone is going to be a good captain or a good leader, just give it to them," he said.
"Brooky was made vice‑captain. I'm not there anymore but even when I missed that Test match against New Zealand I was like ‘why is Brooky not captain? He's vice‑captain.’" He continued, "I understood the reasoning why they were saying it, but I was still like, what message is that sending to him?
He's vice‑captain and the captain is not playing but he's not captain. Then the same again here. I had no leadership or captaincy experience when I took over. It was just thought I was going to be a good captain." Stokes also made it clear that a playing comeback for the upcoming home Ashes series was not on his agenda, despite speculation from Key that he might be tempted to return.
"I never once thought, ‘I’m just going to give it up and just keep going as a player’," Stokes affirmed. "I'm 35. If I'm not going to be captain, I think I'd find it tough to do it. Not saying because I'd find it tough to be led by someone else.
I just think because I've given so much of this part of my career to my job, if I'm going to play for England it's going to be as captain. I was very comfortable retiring from playing and not thinking about playing for England." When pressed whether his retirement was definitive, Stokes answered without hesitation: "Defo." His certainty leaves little doubt that his focus will now be on coaching, mentorship, and possibly a future role within England’s coaching hierarchy. He concluded by emphasizing his desire to stay involved in the game, to help shape the next generation of cricketers, and to support his former teammates as they navigate the challenges ahead.
Overall, Stokes’s comments provide a window into the mindset of a player who has transitioned from on‑field leadership to a broader vision for his post‑playing career, while also highlighting the complexities of succession planning within a high‑profile national side.