Rob Key the managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), has hinted that Ben Stokes England National Cricket Team star all-rounder and current Test captain is keen on becoming the next captain of the white-ball teams.

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Stokes who has been England’s Test captain, hasn't played any white-ball cricket since the 2023 ODI World Cup due to ongoing injury issues.

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England had a disappointing Champions Trophy 2025 campaign suffering an early exit after losing all their group-stage matches. Following the poor performance Jos Buttler stepped down from the white-ball captaincy creating a leadership void in England's limited-overs teams. Rob Key has reportedly already broached the idea of the captaincy role with Stokes.

Rob Key revealed that he casually brought up the topic of white-ball captaincy during a conversation with Stokes while he was in Abu Dhabi for his rehabilitation from a left hamstring injury.

"I haven’t really spoken to him about it, to be honest. I (just) sort of said to him the other day, (after) when I did the round table (interview) with the written journalists, and said (to Stokes) ‘Oh, by the way, I have just said you are in consideration for the white-ball gig. And he sort of then puts the thumbs-up emoji and stuff like that, as if to say: ‘OK’ – not that I have offered him that, but they are the sort of conversations that we have,” Rob Key explained.

It was reported last week that Ben Stokes, a key figure in England’s 2019 ODI World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup wins, is a frontrunner to take charge of the white-ball teams. Although Rob Key confirmed Stokes' interest he also emphasized that nothing has been decided yet and discussions are still.

"I am going to think pretty hard, along with a few other people, over the next few weeks and try and work out what we think the best thing is," Key stated.

While Stokes remains one of the leading candidates, Key mentioned the need to carefully consider Stokes' involvement in 50-over cricket especially given his injury history.

"I do think it’s interesting with Stokes and whether 50-over cricket is for him, but then he is out in Abu Dhabi at the moment, getting himself back fit, and there is obviously a risk with doing that," Key added.