Ben Stokes has made it clear that he would relish the chance to coach the England cricket side one day, and he also hinted that Brendon McCullum might still have been in charge of the Test team if Stokes had not announced his retirement weeks earlier. Stokes stepped down from the England Test captaincy and quit international cricket after his side suffered a 2-1 series loss to New Zealand in June, a defeat that followed a 4-1 Ashes drubbing by Australia the previous winter. In a candid, hour‑long interview on the "For The Love of Cricket" podcast – hosted by former teammates Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler – the 35‑year‑old opened up about his decision to retire and his longer‑term ambitions within the sport. It was the first time Stokes had spoken at length since hanging up his boots, and he used the platform to confirm that his retirement was final and to outline his vision for a post‑playing career.

"I want to be a coach," Stokes said without hesitation. "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 coach of England one day? Absolutely. I would love to be able to do that. Do I think it's going to happen?

I don't know. No idea. Then, further on from that, I don't know.

I just really like the idea of being, again, in some form of leadership away from playing." Stokes held the Test captaincy for four seasons, from 2022 until his retirement, working side‑by‑side with head coach Brendon McCullum as they attempted to reshape England's playing style and culture. McCullum’s own departure from the Test role was announced just two weeks after Stokes called time on his international career, during the fourth day of England’s third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.

When asked about the timing of their exits, Stokes admitted he was surprised by the sequence of events. "If I hadn't made the decision that I made four weeks ago, Baz would still be coach," he said, referring to McCullum. He recounted the informal conversation they had over breakfast toast: "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 because he's doing a very good job there." The interview also touched on the new era for England’s Test side.

Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has been appointed as the new head coach, while Joe Root has been reinstated as captain. Stokes said he spoke with Root as soon as the news broke and expressed full support for his former teammate’s second spell in the role.

However, he also voiced a personal concern: "My only worry is you, Joe. I love Rooty.

I wish him nothing but success. 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. But I told Joe: 'my only worry is you'." Stokes explained that his worry stemmed from the heavy burden Root carried during his first tenure as England’s top run‑scorer and captain. "He just 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." Beyond Root, Stokes raised a question about the omission of Harry Brook from the Test captaincy. Brook, who serves as vice‑captain in the Test format and captains England in the white‑ball game, was not promoted to the top job after Stokes stepped down. England men’s managing director Rob Key recently said that the timing was not right for Brook to take the Test reins, but that his "time will come". Stokes challenged that rationale, arguing that leadership opportunities should be given to those who are deemed ready.

"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.' And 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 addressed speculation about a possible comeback for the 2027 home Ashes series. While Key suggested he wouldn’t be surprised if Stokes returned, the all‑rounder dismissed the idea outright. "I never once thought, 'I'm just going to give it up and just keep going as a player'," he said. "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 on whether his retirement was definitive, Stokes responded with a firm "Defo" – short for "definitely" – confirming that his playing days are truly behind him.

Looking ahead, Stokes’s statements hint at a future where he may transition into coaching, potentially climbing the ranks within England’s setup or even taking a role abroad. His admiration for McCullum’s coaching style, his respect for Fleming’s appointment, and his concern for Root’s wellbeing all suggest a deep commitment to the health of the England programme, even if he will no longer be on the field.

For fans, the next steps will involve watching how Fleming implements his vision, how Root navigates the pressures of captaincy for a second time, and whether Brook eventually receives the Test captaincy that Stokes believes he deserves. Meanwhile, Stokes’s own journey from star all‑rounder to prospective coach adds another intriguing storyline to the ever‑evolving narrative of English cricket.