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Ben Stokes in contention to return as England's white-ball captain
If any team has the ability to stun the fraternity with their curveballs, it's surely England. The team has been going through turmoil in the shorter formats of the game. Their early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy marked the moment when Jos Buttler recognized it was time to step down as the white-ball skipper. The batter began his leadership tenure with a title victory at the 2022 T20 World Cup. However, the team has been on a downward trajectory ever since, suffering early exits from the 2023 ODI World Cup, the 2024 T20I World Cup, and most recently, the Champions Trophy. With Buttler stepping down as captain, the management is now searching for their next prospect to work alongside head coach Brendon McCullum as the white-ball skipper.
Rob Key throws Ben Stokes in the discussion of finding England's next white-ball captain
England's dismal campaign at the ICC Champions Trophy brought an overhaul in the captaincy department. Jos Buttler stepped down as the team's white-ball captain, citing the result as an indication that his time's up. Under his leadership, England endured a winless run in the ICC event, crashing out in the group stage and making an early exit from the tournament. Now, discussions are underway about who will take over as England’s ODI and T20I skipper. Surprisingly, the name of Ben Stokes is headlining the discussions.
England’s Champions Trophy journey began on a rough note with a five-wicket loss to Australia. Their struggles deepened in the second match when they suffered a shocking five-run defeat to Afghanistan in Lahore. Any hopes of salvaging their campaign were dashed when South Africa handed them a seven-wicket thrashing in Karachi, sealing their fate. Addressing the captaincy debate, England Cricket Team’s managing director and former cricketer Rob Key revealed that Test skipper Ben Stokes is among the contenders for the role. He emphasized that the management is carefully evaluating all options to ensure the best decision for the team. Key also praised Stokes, calling him one of the finest captains he has observed, while confirming that the board is in no rush to finalize its choice.
"I think nothing's off the table. 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. We're not going to rush this decision as well. We'll take a bit of time," Key said recently.
Ben Stokes last featured in an ODI during the 2023 World Cup before stepping away from the format. His most recent T20I appearance for England dates back to 2022. The 33-year-old boasts an impressive record in ODIs, having played 114 matches and amassed 6,719 runs at a strike rate of 59.71. England’s next white-ball assignment is a three-match ODI and T20I series against the West Indies, beginning on May 29. Before that, they will face Zimbabwe in a one-off Test on May 22.
