Test captain Ben Stokes has said he will definitely accept a call-up to play in England’s white-ball teams under new head coach Brendon McCullum.
McCullum will officially take over as white-ball coach alongside his role as Test team head coach from January 2025, in time for the white-ball tour of India and the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
Under the new regime, England’s coaching across all formats will become unified under McCullum, with Stokes eager to return to the fold.
“I’ve played a lot of white-ball cricket for England and I’m very happy and content with what I’ve achieved in that form of the game,” Stokes told Sky Sports Cricket.
“If I am part of the white-ball teams’ plans going forward in any way, shape or form then great, but also I’m fine if I’m not because that would mean that someone else is coming through and doing really well.
“If I get the call to come and play, then obviously it’s definitely going to be a yes. But I’m not going to be too disappointed if I don’t – it means that I can just sit back and watch everyone else go out and smack it.
“Me and Baz [Brendon] have not spoken about anything like that whatsoever.
“He’s just letting me concentrate on what I need to with the Test team and when that time and conversation comes and then we’ll see.
“This white-ball team has obviously gone in a new direction, especially coming into this summer.
“We’ve seen some unbelievable talent come through – just to point out one, Jacob Bethell, who I think is going to be a superstar.”
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Stokes says McCullum is a great coach and ‘unbelievable’ he will now coach both white and red ball England teams
England’s white-ball squad is currently undergoing a regeneration after they lost both of their world titles within the space of eight months, leading to Matthew Mott’s departure.
Stokes opted out of selection for the T20 World Cup earlier this year to focus on the Test summer, with England winning five of their six games.
The hosts completed a whitewash over West Indies and finished 2-1 up against Sri Lanka after a sloppy performance in the third and final Test at The Oval.
McCullum’s success has been evident with England winning 22 of the 29 Tests played under his leadership.
The last white-ball game Stokes played was for the Northern Superchargers during The Hundred this summer where he picked up a hamstring injury which ruled him out of the Sri Lanka Test series and put him in doubt for the upcoming tour to Pakistan.
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Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Michael Atherton says McCullum will still be challenged by coaching both England’s Test and one-day squads despite the fixture schedule easing slightly
“He [Brendon McCullum] asked me about that [taking the white-ball job]. I had to keep my mouth shut for a while because I knew a long time before it was announced,” added Stokes.
“I’m a cricket fan, an England cricket fan and I want all the teams to be as well as each other.
“If there was any selfishness about me, I would have said ‘nah, you need to be with us’, but I think it’s an amazing opportunity for the white-ball team to experience what Baz has brought to the Test team.
“He’s an incredible coach, he speaks with utter commitment, he really believes in what he’s saying and trying to deliver… and he inspires you to go out and play in that way.
“I’m really looking forward to the white-ball team being able to have McCullum in the dressing room and it’s nice to have all three teams with the same messaging and same philosophies towards playing cricket.”
England’s 2024 tour of Pakistan – series schedule:
- First Test, Multan – October 7-11
- Second Test, Multan – October 15-19
- Third Test, Rawalpindi – October 24-28
England vs Australia schedule – all games live on Sky Sports
- 1st ODI (September 19) – Trent Bridge, Nottingham – Australia won by seven wickets
- 2nd ODI (September 21) – Headingley, Leeds – Australia won by 68 runs
- 3rd ODI (September 24) – Seat Unique Riverside, Durham (12.30pm start)
- 4th ODI (September 27) – Lord’s, London (12.30pm start)
- 5th ODI (September 29) – The Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol (11am start)