'Would Be Lost For Words': Stuart Broad Believes ECB Appointing Ben Stokes As ODI Skipper Would Signal 'Desperation'

Former England cricketer Stuart Broad wants the ECB to avoid any desperate moves in terms of the ODI captaincy after Jos Buttler resigned from the position during the ICC Champions 2025. The former English cricketer wants the board to avoid appointing Ben Stokes as the ODI skipper, as it would look like a measure taken out of desperation. Broad also stated the reasons against Stokes' potential appointment, as he believes the scheduling issues and the physicality of ODI cricket may not work in favour of Ben Stokes.  

Stuart Broad Wants ECB To Avoid Any Desperate Attempt Over ODI Captaincy

England Cricket is in limbo after the ODI team failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy. They have gone winless throughout the season, which has caused concern among fans and pundits. The Three Lions reached a new low after being defeated by Afghanistan, casting doubt on the team's form. Jos Buttler has also resigned from ODI captaincy, and some tough decisions are expected to be made. Amid the suspense over England's new ODI skipper, Steve Smith has echoed his verdict on what the team should not do.

"Going for Stokes would be a move of desperation. I would be lost for words if England appointed him. Firstly, there is the schedule. He's not going to the Indian Premier League to try to prioritise the Test match team and get his physicality right for the big events on the horizon. How many overs has Stokes bowled successfully in the last three years while battling his knee injuries? Not many. And you're going to add another eight to 10 overs in a 50-over format onto his workload? The mathematics of that make no sense.

"As someone who played 121 one-day internationals, I can honestly say I found the 50-over format more tiring than Test match cricket. Why? Because it's such high intensity. You bowl 10 overs in three and a half hours, during which you are running from fielding positions, sprinting after balls all the time, non-stop. Ben Stokes is the best captain we've got, but it doesn't mean he's the right person to do the 50-over job. Let’s face it, we’re not scheduling things to help the one-day team," Stuart Broad said while speaking to Mail Sport.

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England Will Be Put To Test In White-Ball Cricket Soon

After coming off a shambolic run in the ICC Champions Trophy, several England players will be engaging in the IPL 2025 season, which will lead up to an away white-ball series. The Three Lions will face the West Indies in a three-match ODI and T20I series in various regions of England. It will be a test of their perseverance and intent after their poor streak of runs in white-ball cricket.

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