Stokes puts full support behind Brook as England weigh next Test captain

LONDON: Ben Stokes has backed Harry Brook to replace him as England’s Test captain, saying the Yorkshire batter would be a natural choice to take over after serving as vice-captain in the recent series against New Zealand.

Brook, who already leads England’s white-ball side, was named Stokes’s deputy for the red-ball series that ended in a 2-1 defeat on Monday. However, he was not chosen to lead in the second Test when Stokes was left out for disciplinary reasons and former captain Joe Root took charge instead.

Speaking about Brook’s credentials, Stokes said there was a clear reason he had been given the vice-captaincy. He pointed to his own experience of serving as Joe Root’s deputy for a long period and described the move as a natural progression for Brook.

Stokes said "There is a reason ​why he was asked to be vice-captain of this team".

He added "I was vice-captain ⁠under Joe for a long time. It’s a natural progression. There’s absolutely no reason why Harry shouldn’t ​be asked to do that. He’s someone that is an incredible player, one of the more senior ​players in this group, a phenomenally talented player. With a bit more responsibility on his shoulders, you don’t know if that’s going to improve him even more".

Stokes also made clear where his preference lies if asked for a recommendation.

McCullum stops short of endorsement

England coach Brendon McCullum did not go as far as Stokes in publicly endorsing Brook. While saying he wants to continue in his own role despite England losing seven of their last nine Tests, McCullum said the team management would take time before deciding on the next captain.

McCullum said "It’s one of those things where we just need to take a bit of time to work out. We’ve got some good candidates and strong leaders in the side so we’ll work through that and come up with what we think is the right option".

Brook, who is ranked second in the world Test batting rankings, is described as an automatic pick in England’s side. But the 27-year-old has also faced criticism over discipline on and off the field. Last winter in New Zealand, he was reprimanded by the Cricket Regulator after an incident in which he was hit by a bouncer after having been refused entry to a nightclub the night before a one-day international.

Stokes told McCullum he was done

McCullum also revealed he had tried to persuade Stokes not to make a quick decision after the England captain informed him during the Trent Bridge match that he wanted to stand down.

Recalling the conversation, McCullum said "When he grabbed me yesterday morning when we arrived at ⁠the ground ​and said: ‘Baz, I’m done’, I said ‘slow down, you don’t need ​to make any rash decisions now, let’s just talk this through".

According to McCullum, Stokes remained firm on his decision.

But he said: ‘Honestly, I’m done. I’m content. I’m happy. I’ve ​done what I wanted to do with this team and now is the right time'.