It would be “stupid” to not consider all-rounder Ben Stokes as the next ODI skipper, according to candid statements made by Rob Key, managing director of England. In order to revamp their failing white-ball team, England’s administration is searching for a leader after Jos Buttler resigned following a dismal ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. Stokes is an obvious choice for the position given his background and leadership skills.
The team was eliminated early from the group stage of the 2025 Champions Trophy after failing to earn a single victory. Buttler resigned as captain as a result of this failure. Despite his emphasis on Test cricket, Key thinks Stokes should be a genuine contender as the ECB looks for new players.
In red-ball cricket, England’s Test captain has been a formidable presence, adopting a bold and aggressive stance. He is a desirable candidate for the ODI captaincy because of his leadership abilities and capacity to motivate teammates.
“Among the greatest captains I’ve ever seen is Ben Stokes.
Therefore, it would be foolish to ignore him. It’s simply the result of what that implies. Really, I don’t think anything is off the table. You consider all of your options and ask yourself, “What is the best course of action?” What effect will that have on other things? As seen in Test cricket, he is a very skilled tactician, but he is also a man-leader. He has the ability to bring out the best in others. He has the ability to throw a blanket around the players and genuinely say, “No, no, this is the way forward,” when the pressure is really on. Continue doing it.”
We don’t want to take any additional risks: Rob Key
Stokes first retired from ODIs in 2022, although he hasn’t played since the 2023 World Cup, a competition he returned for. He had maintained his chances of winning the 2025 Champions Trophy, but a hamstring strain sustained during England’s Test series in New Zealand forced him to miss the tournament. He is undergoing rehabilitation at the moment and should be ready for the summer.
“These are the attributes required for leadership. As we all know, Ben is an exceptional leader and player. What that would mean to him is more important. What impact would that have on his workload? We don’t want to take additional risks. However, I believe there’s always a point in England where you start to consider “what if it goes wrong?” ‘What if it goes right?’ is another imperative. These are the choices I need to make. He went on.
Workload management is one of the main issues with the southpaw assuming another captaincy responsibility. With Test series against Australia and India as well as ODI series against South Africa, Ireland, and the West Indies, England has a full calendar. Key emphasised how crucial it is to think about how Stokes will be affected by this additional responsibility.
“If you look at it, I think 50-over and Test cricket are definitely closer than Twenty20 cricket, which is currently the exception. “Therefore, that makes different things,” Key added.
While keeping the ODI leadership open, England may consider Harry Brook as a possible candidate for the T20I captaincy if Stokes is judged unfit for the position because of workload concerns. Brook is seen as a future leader and has already led England when Buttler was not present.
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