Stokes wants to “absolutely” continue as captain

Ben Stokes said he “absolutely” wants to remain England captain despite losing the Ashes series in Australia in just three Tests.

England were beaten on the fifth day of the third Test in Adelaide to go 3-0 down, extending a winless run in this country to 18 matches and leaving them without an away Ashes series victory in 14 years.

Stokes took over as captain in the aftermath of the 4-0 defeat here four years ago and this tour was billed as the culmination of the leadership of the all-rounder and head coach Brendon McCullum.

Asked whether this loss will cause him to question his commitment to the England job, Stokes said: “Nope.”

Prior to this series, the 34-year-old agreed a new England central contract that will run until the end of the next Ashes in the UK in 2027. This series loss, completed in only 11 days of cricket across the first three Tests, is likely to put pressure on the positions of McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key.

Given Stokes’ influence and importance to the England team, the Durham man would probably be given the opportunity to continue as captain if he wants the role. Asked if he still has the energy for the job, Stokes replied: “Absolutely.”  (BBC sport)