Ben Stokes didn't mince words in his final Test appearance, publicly throwing his full support behind Harry Brook as England's next Test captain. The retiring Stokes declared he would give his '100 per cent support' to Brook, who currently serves as vice-captain but was controversially overlooked for the second Test against New Zealand due to a nightclub incident.

Stokes emphasized that Brook earned the vice-captain role for good reason, calling him a 'phenomenally talented' batter and senior player who deserves the opportunity. The England hierarchy instead turned to former captain Joe Root for that second Test, though Stokes believes Brook represents the natural progression for the role.

Head coach Brendon McCullum, who also oversees England's white-ball teams and appointed Brook as white-ball captain in April 2025, acknowledged conversations about the captaincy structure will happen before England's next Test series against Pakistan starting August 19. McCullum noted they have strong leaders available but stressed no one can captain forever.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain warned that while Brook fits McCullum's positive style of play, the dual-format demands could create excessive workload pressures. England's 160-run loss at Trent Bridge completed a 1-2 series defeat to New Zealand, marking the end of Stokes' captaincy era.