England want the best person to take over as white-ball skipper from Jos Buttler, with managing director of men’s cricket Rob Key adding that nothing is off the table when asked if Ben Stokes could combine the Test job with the ODI captaincy.
Key also suggested there could potentially be separate ODI and T20 captains going forward, saying: I believe that Test cricket and 50-over cricket are probably closer now, with T20 the outlier.
That prompted the question over whether Stokes – who played the last of his 114 ODIs during England’s dismal 2023 World Cup defence – could be up for consideration.
I think nothing’s off the table, Key said of the 33-year-old. 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.
Key added on the captaincy search: You’re just looking for the best person, really, someone who you think can take this forward.
We’re not going to rush this decision as well. We’ll take a bit of time.
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.
Reflecting on England’s group-stage exit at the 2025 Champions Trophy which prompted Buttler’s resignation as captain, Key defended the make-up of the 15-player squad selected for the tournament held in the sub-continent.
England picked a three-pronged pace attack for the three defeats to Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa, with Brydon Carse and Mark Wood picking up injuries along the way. Adil Rashid was originally the sole front-line spinner, until Rehan Ahmed was drafted in to replace Carse.
We were very poor, Key said. The truth is, we haven’t been particularly good in white-ball cricket, probably since the last era when Eoin Morgan did it, and that’s for lots of different reasons.
We look at every single thing, whether it’s variety in the attack, all the things that you read about.
The England cricket team is facing some tough decisions as they prepare for the upcoming Champions Trophy. With questions surrounding their left-arm spinner and batting lineup, former England cricketer Rob Key has weighed in on the team’s challenges.
Key is pondering whether Liam Dawson is the answer as the team’s left-arm spinner, or if they should focus on their strength of packing the team with batting firepower. The strategy of chasing down any target and posting big scores with the bat has been successful for England in the past, but recent struggles with batting form have raised concerns.
In the lead-up to the Champions Trophy, England had a disappointing tour of India, losing both the T20 and ODI series. Reports emerged that only Joe Root was actively participating in net sessions during the ODI leg of the tour, leading to criticism from former players like Kevin Pietersen and Ravi Shastri.
Key defended the team’s work ethic, stating that the players had been putting in the effort during practice sessions. However, he acknowledged that the team needs to improve their communication in interviews and press conferences to avoid creating unnecessary controversies.
Despite recent criticisms, Key emphasized that the players are dedicated and passionate about performing well for England. He noted that sometimes mistakes happen due to players trying too hard to concentrate and make the right decisions on the field.
Looking ahead to the Champions Trophy final between India and New Zealand, Key encouraged fans to tune in to see the action unfold. With a focus on improved communication and decision-making, England will be looking to bounce back and showcase their true potential on the international stage.