'It'd be stupid not to look at him as captain': Ben Stokes could replace Jos Buttler as England's ODI, T20I captain
England's managing director of cricket Rob Key spoke about the potential of Ben Stokes becoming of England's ODI and T20I captain, replacing Buttler.
England’s disastrous ICC Champions Trophy campaign saw them lose all three matches in their group, be eliminated from the tournament, and force the resignation of white-ball captain Jos Buttler. With many questions being asked of the state of the England white-ball unit just three years on from their T20 World Cup victory, and six years on from their ODI World Cup win, the team is now looking for a new skipper for the future.
England’s managing director Rob Key spoke to Sky Sports about what England are considering as their options for captaincy, in particular reflecting on the potential of Ben Stokes returning for white ball cricket, and adding that feather to his Test captaincy hat as well.
"I think nothing's off the table," Key said. "You look at every single option and you think, 'what is the best thing to do?' Ben Stokes is one of the best captains I've ever seen, so it'd be stupid not to look at him. It's just the knock-on effect of what that means."
Stokes has focused on red ball cricket over the last few months, with injury concerns and the need to extend his career being a priority for a player who is otherwise seen as one of the best all-rounders in the sport.
Key names potential captaincy alternatives
Stokes played a significant role in England’s ODI World Cup victory, and is also one of the senior players within the setup. However, Key confirmed that England would take a while to decide the path forward, and will consider some younger players within the unit.
"You're just looking for the best person, really, someone who you think can take this forward,” said Key. "We're not going to rush this decision as well. We'll take a bit of time.”
Key also suggested a few names the England management is considering moving forward, with an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup.
"We've had a plan in place where we've looked at lots of different people, so we've seen Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook [in the role], there's plenty of options,” Key said. While Livingstone and Salt have come in for some criticism and question marks regarding their role in the team, Brook is still seen as the heart of the team’s future, despite a quiet performance in the Champions Trophy.
England’s next ODI assignment will be a home series against the West Indies, taking place in the end of May.
