"I do see myself probably wanting to go down the route of being a coach" - Ben Stokes on his post-retirement plans
England Test captain Ben Stokes has spoken about taking up coaching once his playing days are over. The seam-bowling all-rounder believes there will hardly be a time when he is not involved in cricket.
The 33-year-old has established himself as one of the best all-rounders today. Stokes, who debuted in 2013, is a two-time World Cup winner, playing chief roles in England's journey to winning 2019 ODI and 2022 T20 World Cups. He has also lost only one series since becoming the Test captain in 2022.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Stokes remarked:
"I can’t see myself being someone who when the day comes when I do stop playing, I’ll just not be involved with cricket. I do see myself probably wanting to go down the route of being a coach. I think that’s just with my love for the game. When I’m done playing, I’d love to be able to try and affect a few people’s careers."
With the Champions Trophy 2025 on the horizon, the veteran said he is eager to be part of it, but is uncertain of his white-ball future. Stokes also said that he is proud of whatever he has achieved in his white-ball career for England.
"It’s hard to turn down those sort of big events, isn’t it? If I didn’t play another white-ball game, I’ll be very content with how many games I’ve played and what I’ve been able to achieve. I don’t know what the plan is going forward, whether they see me being a part of that or not. I’m sure there’ll be some conversation at some point about that. And I’ll be happy either way," he said.
The Durham all-rounder had retired from ODIs, but returned to the format ahead of the 2023 World Cup. He did not bowl and did decently with the bat during the tournament. The World Cup was also the last time Stokes appeared for England in coloured clothing.
"Every Ashes series is its own event, its own occasion" - Ben Stokes
With England's focus building for next year's Ashes tour, the star cricketer suggested that they will go in with a fresh mindset and hinted at ruthlessness in the selection process. He elaborated while speaking to the Telegraph:
"I don’t think we’ll be heading there with that feeling of, ‘Oh, we’ve got unfinished business because of the last time. Every Ashes series is its own event, its own occasion. It’s just giving ourselves the best opportunity to be able to pick a squad that we think is going to give us the best chance of winning out in Australia. We definitely know what we want."
"When it comes to Australia, we’re basically not leaving any stone unturned. That doesn’t mean we’re going to win it. We’re going out there to hopefully win, but it’s just about picking the 15 or 16 blokes to give us the best chance of winning."
England haven't held the Ashes urn since the 2015 series.