Ben Stokes has opened up about his England retirement in a two-hour podcast interview, admitting he carried too much as captain, criticising cricket's drinking culture, and confirming he has no plans to return for the 2027 Ashes — but does want to coach England one day.

Stokes retired from England duty in June 2026, five weeks before the interview was published on the "For The Love Of Cricket" podcast, hosted by his former teammates Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler (The Guardian). The episode, titled "Ben Stokes SPEAKS: Why I Had To Retire From England," appeared on the podcast's YouTube channel on 4 August 2026 (YouTube).

Speaking to Broad and Buttler, Stokes said he put "way too much" on his own shoulders as England captain rather than sharing the load. He pointed to communication breakdowns during the 2025-26 Ashes tour of Australia, where England lost the series 4-1. That included a first Test in Perth where England let a commanding position slip — a moment Stokes said better team communication might have changed (The Guardian).

Stokes also addressed the Noosa mid-tour break during that Ashes series, which had drawn criticism at the time. He said he would do it again (The Guardian).

On the captaincy succession, Stokes was blunt. He believed Harry Brook, who had been vice-captain, should have been promoted to the top job. Instead, Joe Root — who had previously captained the Test side before Stokes took over — returned to the role when Stokes was suspended for the second Test against New Zealand. Stokes questioned the message that sent when Brook did not step up, and expressed genuine concern for Root, saying: "He just always puts the team first and he always comes second." He added: "I care for Joe a lot" (The Guardian).

Stokes' final Test came against New Zealand at Trent Bridge — a farewell that some felt was too self-indulgent. He gave no hint of a U-turn, saying he was "definitely" retired from England duty and ruling out a return for the home Ashes the following summer (The Guardian; The Guardian).

Looking ahead, Stokes confirmed he wants to coach England in the future, with his ambition centred on the one-day side (Sky Sports; The Guardian). He also gave his views on Brendon McCullum's exit as England Test coach, though details of those comments were not fully specified in the available reporting (Sky Sports).

Stokes praised the appointment of Stephen Fleming as England's new Test coach, calling him a "great man." The two previously worked together at Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, the world's biggest franchise T20 competition (The Guardian).

Perhaps the broadest claim Stokes made was about cricket itself. He said the sport — not just the England team — has a drinking culture out of step with the increased professionalism of the modern game, and that it "has been the same since the 1980s" (BBC Sport; The Guardian). It is the kind of comment that lands well beyond the England dressing room, touching a debate that has followed cricket for decades.

For a player who built his reputation on the most theatrical of match-winning moments, this was a strikingly measured exit interview — less about what he did on the pitch and more about what he learned off it.