Ben Stokes has backed Harry Brook to succeed him as England’s Test captain after bowing out of international cricket, saying the gifted batsman had his “100 percent support”.

Stokes, however, appeared less enthusiastic about endorsing the future of England head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key, the other two architects of a ‘Bazball’ era seemingly now at an end.

Stokes dramatically announced he would be retiring from England duty on Sunday’s fourth afternoon of the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, saying he was “burnt out” after four years as skipper.

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The 35-year-old all-rounder, normally a middle-order batsman, then opened the innings as England tried to attack a stiff run chase of 373.

But he was out before Sunday’s close, with Stokes reduced to a spectator on his last day of England duty in Nottingham on Monday as New Zealand won by a thumping 160 runs to seal a 2-1 victory in a three-match series.

Brook is already the captain of England’s white-ball teams and the gifted 27-year-old batsman is also the official vice-captain of the Test side.

But when Stokes was omitted from the second Test against New Zealand for breaking a midnight team curfew, it was former skipper Joe Root who led England at the Oval.

Brook was denied the role after he was involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington, New Zealand, ahead of England’s woeful 2025/26 4-1 Ashes series loss in Australia — an incident that led to the imposition of the curfew.

Stokes: “A lot of emotion obviously” | 00:26

Stokes, speaking to reporters at Trent Bridge after Monday’s stumps, said: “I know with all the controversy over the last couple of weeks, decisions were made. They were decisions I was not part of making.

“You are asked to be vice-captain for a reason, and I was vice-captain under Joe for a long time. It’s the natural progression, if the captain is not there you step up.

“There is absolutely no reason why Harry shouldn’t be asked to do that.”

Stokes said there was no way of knowing for sure if captaincy would boost or hinder Brook, who has an impressive batting average of over 53 in 38 Tests.

But with England’s three-Test series at home to Pakistan starting in August, Stokes had no doubts about the identity of the new red-ball skipper.

“If I was to be asked who I think should do it, I would be throwing my 100 percent support behind Harry Brook,” he said.

‘INTERESTING RIDE’

Stokes, however, was less enthusiastic about England head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key, the other two architects of a ‘Bazball’ era seemingly now at end.

Monday’s reverse was England’s seventh defeat in their last nine Tests and also sealed a rare series loss on home soil.

Stokes, asked if McCullum and Key were still the men to take England forward, replied: “What me, Brendon and Rob have managed to do over four and a half years, I’m not going to lie, it’s been quite an interesting ride.

“We’ve had some incredible highs and we’ve had some pretty low lows as well, but I feel we’ve always connected pretty well.

“I’m done now. I don’t have to make those decisions, I don’t have to be involved in all that kind of stuff. But I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my four-and-a-half-year working relationship with Brendon and Rob.”

Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum of England watch from the dressing room balcony during the final day of the 3rd Test between England and New Zealand at Trent Bridge on June 29, 2026 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

McCullum, in a separate press conference, was asked if he had tried to talk Stokes, whose personality he said “almost transcends” cricket, out of his decision to quit international cricket.

“Yes but you know Ben, with no success whatsoever actually,” replied McCullum, who suggested he had only found out about Stokes’ decision hours before it was announced.

“When he grabbed me yesterday (Sunday) morning when we arrived at the ground, he said ‘Baz I’m done’.”

“I was just like: ‘Slow down, you don’t need to make any rash decisions right now, let’s just talk through this.’ He said: ‘Honestly, I’m done.’ I felt like he was very definitive in his thought process, whereas in my head I hadn’t really had him at that stage yet, so I thought there was still room for negotiation. There wasn’t.”

Unlike Stokes, McCullum stopped short of backing Brook to step up as captain, saying the decision was “one of those things we need to just take a bit of time to work out”, that there were “many good candidates” in a squad that contains “some good strong leaders.

“We want to make sure that we go through the right process to make sure that we give the next captain every opportunity to be successful,” he said.

On his own future, the New Zealander stressed his desire to continue in the role despite calls from former England greats for a leadership overhaul.

Baz: “It’s more about the celebration” | 00:23

“The project isn’t finished yet,” he said. “When you take jobs like this, you know there are going to be days where you have to navigate through tough moments, and keep projecting forward to what you think the vision for your side is and how you are able to shape that. And again, for me, my enthusiasm and my commitment to English cricket has never wavered.”

Stokes intends to play on for county side Durham, but he denied suggestions he could yet face arch-rivals Australia during next year’s Ashes in England.

“I’m done,” said Stokes, adding: “I know it’s the Ashes but I’ll probably be watching it in a hospitality box somewhere.”