Former England captain says Brook can't lead Test side under McCullum

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Ben Stokes (left) gave Harry Brook his backing as his successor. (Getty Images: Gareth Copley/ECB)

Outgoing England captain Ben Stokes has backed Harry Brook as his successor to lead the Test team.

Brook is the current vice-captain, but the team turned to Joe Root to lead them when Stokes was dropped for the second Test for disciplinary reasons.

England lost the third Test against New Zealand by 160 runs to drop the series 2-1.

Ben Stokes has thrown his backing behind Harry Brook to succeed him as England Test captain.

Stokes announced his retirement this week during a 160-run loss to New Zealand in the third and deciding Test at Trent Bridge.

Brook, England's white-ball skipper, was Stokes's vice-captain in the Test series which they lost 2-1, but was overlooked when Stokes was omitted from the team for the second Test for disciplinary reasons in favour of former captain Joe Root.

Root has spoken about how much he prefers focusing on batting rather than leading the team, making him an unlikely candidate after Stokes's mid-match retirement announcement.

"There is a reason why [Brook] was asked to be vice-captain of this team," Stokes said.

"I was vice-captain under Joe for a long time. It's a natural progression.

Ben Stokes has been the centre of England's cricketing universe for 15 years. In announcing his retirement mid-match, he highlighted how damaging that main character energy can be.

"There's absolutely no reason why Harry shouldn't be asked to do that. He's someone that is an incredible player, one of the more senior players in this group, a phenomenally talented player.

"With a bit more responsibility on his shoulders you don't know if that's going to improve him even more.

"If I was to be asked who should do it I would throw my 100 per cent support behind Harry Brook."

Former captain Michael Vaughan said on BBC that Brook and coach Brendon McCullum might be too volatile a pairing in the Test team.

Harry Brook still averages over 50 in Tests despite a recent form slump. (Getty Images: Daniel Pockett)

"I look at this group of players in English cricket and I think there's a huge amount of talent," Vaughan said.

"I just look at [former coach] Andy Flower, who's the best coach in the world. If Andy Flower was in charge of the England cricket team I think Harry Brook could be the captain, but I can't have Harry Brook and Baz McCullum together in Test matches.

"In white-ball cricket, T20 cricket, that's fine, but in Test match cricket I just can't think that combination's going to be successful."

England coach Brendon McCullum, who reiterated his own desire to carry on in the post despite the side losing seven of their last nine Tests, stopped short of endorsing the Yorkshireman.

"It's one of those things where we just need to take a bit of time to work out," he said.

England coach Brendon McCullum with Harry Brookduring a net session at Trent Bridge on June 24, 2026 in Nottingham, England. (Getty Images: Gareth Copley)

"We've got some good candidates and strong leaders in the side so we'll work through that and come up with what we think is the right option."

Brook, ranked number two in the world Test batting rankings, is an automatic selection in the side but has been criticised for indiscipline both on and off the pitch.

The 27-year-old received a reprimand from the Cricket Regulator after an incident in New Zealand last winter when he was struck by a security guard after being refused entry to a nightclub the night before a one-day international.

McCullum admitted he had tried to talk Stokes out of his mid-match decision to step down at Trent Bridge.

"When he grabbed me yesterday morning, when we arrived at the ground, and said: 'Baz, I'm done,' I said 'slow down, you don't need to make any rash decisions now, let's just talk this through'," McCullum said.

"But he said: 'Honestly, I'm done. I'm content. I'm happy. I've done what I wanted to do with this team and now is the right time.'"

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