The Ashes 2025-26: England captain Ben Stokes wants Brendon McCullum to stay head coach

Captain Ben Stokes says he cannot imagine «someone else» replacing head coach Brendon McCullum, despite England’s Ashes series defeat in Australia.

Stokes and McCullum united in 2022 and this tour was billed as a defining moment for their leadership, only for England to surrender the series with defeats in each of the opening three Tests.

England won the fourth Test in Melbourne, their first win in this country for almost 15 years, and will finish the series in Sydney from Sunday (23:30 GMT, Saturday).

Stokes and McCullum have contracts until 2027 and both have stated they want to remain in their jobs after this tour.

While Stokes remains England’s best leader and will probably get the opportunity to continue into the home summer, the positions of McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key could come under scrutiny.

«There is no doubt in my mind that me and Brendon are the right people to carry on doing this for the near future,» said Stokes.

Asked if he and New Zealander McCullum come as a partnership, Stokes replied: «I can’t see there being someone else who could take this team from where we are now to even bigger heights.»

This latest defeat extends England’s awful run in Ashes series in Australia – their victory in 2010-11 is their only success in the country since 1986.

Losses down under are often the signal for sweeping changes to the England management – Stokes and McCullum were bought in following a 4-0 defeat four years ago.

«We have not won here since 2010-11 and since that series things have happened because we think people need to change things, but it has not really worked has it?» said Stokes.

«There’s a lot of people who sit above me. Ashes tours in the past haven’t gone well. But if you do what we did four years ago, we’ll just end up back in the same situation.»

McCullum is due to lead England to the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next month, and a decision on his future is unlikely to be taken until after that tournament.

And all-rounder Stokes said he would «hope» to be consulted on any potential changes to the England hierarchy.

«It is a situation nobody knows whether it is going to happen or not but we’re both pretty keen on carrying on doing what we are doing,» said Stokes.

England won 10 of their first 11 Tests under Stokes and McCullum, but their results have been mixed since that opening burst of success.

In their past 34 Tests, England have won 16 and lost 16, with two draws. They have not managed a victory in a marquee five-Test series against Australia or India.

At the beginning of 2025, McCullum also assumed control of England’s white-ball teams. Since then, England have won only four of their 10 Tests, including an expected comfortable victory Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge in May.

In explaining the reasons for England’s poor performance in the Ashes, Key pointed to the white-ball series in New Zealand prior to this tour as a hindrance to preparation in Australia. The former England and Kent batter said he was not willing to «write off» the matches against the Black Caps.

But Stokes does not believe McCullum’s dual role is having a detrimental effect on the Test team.

«He has got two jobs to do now,» said Stokes. «It has not influenced the relationship we have with this Test team whatsoever.»

England have named a 12-man squad for the final Test, with spinner Shoaib Bashir and seamer Matthew Potts included.

The tourists will make at least one change to the XI that played in Melbourne after pace bowler Gus Atkinson was ruled out because of a hamstring injury.

Bashir has not played since July after suffering a broken finger in the third Test against India at Lord’s, then being overlooked for the first four Ashes Tests.

Durham’s Potts has waited more than a year since his last cap, against New Zealand in Hamilton in December 2024.

«He’s been in and about,» said Stokes of Potts. «He obviously had a great start to his Test career with the ball and he finds himself in a slightly different position now within the team and in the squad.

«There’s an opportunity there for someone to come in this week after the disappointing news with what happened to Gus last week.»

Australia could make two changes to their team. Todd Murphy could come in as a specialist spinner, possibly at the expense of seamer Jhye Richardson.

In training on Friday, Beau Webster practised in the gully position usually occupied by Cameron Green, suggesting Australia could switch their all-rounders.