Ben Stokes backed Harry Brook to succeed him as England's test captain after bowing out of international cricket, saying the gifted batsman had his "100 per cent support".
Stokes dramatically announced he would be retiring from England duty on Sunday's fourth afternoon of the third test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, saying he was "burnt out" after four years as skipper.
The 35-year-old allrounder, normally a middle-order batsman, then opened the innings as England tried to attack a stiff run chase of 373.
But he was out before Sunday's close, with Stokes reduced to a spectator on his last day of England duty in Nottingham on Monday as New Zealand won by a thumping 160 runs to seal a 2-1 victory in a three-match series.
Brook is already the captain of England's white-ball teams and is set to skipper the side in the first T20 against India at Chester-le-Street on Wednesday.
The gifted 27-year-old batsman is also the official vice-captain of the test team.
But when Stokes was omitted from the second test against New Zealand for breaking a midnight team curfew, it was former skipper Joe Root who took temporary charge of the team.
Brook was denied the role after he was involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington, New Zealand, ahead of England's woeful 2025/26 4-1 Ashes series loss in Australia – an incident that led to the imposition of the curfew.
'NATURAL PROGRESSION'
Former England captain Michael Atherton wrote in The Times that Brook "is not the test captain in waiting".
But Stokes, speaking to reporters at Trent Bridge after Monday's stumps, said: "There's a reason he was asked to be vice-captain of this team. I know with all the controversy over the last couple of weeks, decisions were made. They were decisions I was not part of making.
"You are asked to be vice-captain for a reason, and I was vice-captain under Joe for a long time. It's the natural progression, if the captain is not there you step up.
"There is absolutely no reason why Harry shouldn't be asked to do that. He is an incredible player, one of the more senior players in this group."
Stokes said there was no way of knowing for sure if captaincy would boost or hinder Brook, who has an impressive batting average of over 53 in 38 tests.
But with England's three-test series at home to Pakistan starting in August, Stokes had no doubts about the identity of the new red-ball skipper.
"If I was to be asked who I think should do it, I would be throwing my 100 per cent support behind Harry Brook," he said.