Ashes return ‘out of question’ but Stokes seeks future England coaching role
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Ashes return ‘out of question’ but Stokes seeks future England coaching role")
Ashes return ‘out of question’ but Stokes seeks future England coaching role Photograph: (Others)
Ben Stokes rules out a return for the 2027 Ashes, shutting down comeback speculation while revealing his ambition to coach England in the future.
Former England Test captain Ben Stokes has ruled out any chance of reversing his international retirement for next year’s home Ashes, as also suggested by Australian coach Andrew McDonald.
While McDonald felt that Stokes’ final homecoming for the 2027 series against Australia would be a fairytale ending to his decorated career, ECB’s managing director Rob Key also kept the door open for Stokes’ ‘unlikely’ comeback. Stokes, however, shut all those rumours but hinted at a future England coaching role once he is done playing.
Ben Stokes shockingly announced his international retirement midway through the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge in June, with the ECB making his decision public before tea on day four. While he enjoyed his final day on the field with a couple of wickets, much to the crowd’s cheers and a quickfire 30 at the top during the run chase, he claimed that he had nothing more to offer and that the four-year captaincy reign had consumed him completely.
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Even though he reversed his ODI retirement to feature at the 2023 World Cup in India, Stokes said he ‘definitely’ is not coming back to play the 2027 Ashes.
"I'm doing my level three coaching now while I'm still playing, because when the day comes that I'm not playing anymore, I'd love to be able to have all that stuff signed off and done," Stokes said on the 'For the Love of Cricket' podcast.
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On his coaching plan, Stokes noted, "I know what I want to do in terms of staying within the game, which is to be a coach.
“And would I love to be coach of England one day? Absolutely. I just really like the idea of being in some form of leadership away from playing.”
Root Over Brook for ENG's Test Captaincy Shocks Stokes
While Harry Brook was the designated Test vice-captain when Stokes was leading the side, the ECB picked veteran and former skipper Joe Root as his replacement, while also naming Stephen Fleming as the new head coach, replacing Brendon McCullum.
Although Stokes admitted to understanding the reasoning behind handing over the baton to Root, he questioned the message the board has or would send to Brook for overlooking him.
"Even when I missed that Test match, I was like, 'Why is Brooky (not the captain?) -– he's vice-captain'. And I sort of got it. 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 then the captain is not playing, but he's not captain. What?
"I had no leadership or captaincy experience when I took over,” he said.
