For the first time in four years, England’s Test team has to move on without Ben Stokes. His retirement has left a big hole in the middle of the side. He was not just England’s captain or their No. 6.
He was the player who could change a Test with the bat, produce a spell when his team needed it and turn an ordinary situation into something England could win. His Test career ended with 7,263 runs, 14 centuries and 252 wickets. Those numbers tell only part of the story.
Joe Root has taken over the captaincy again but England know this is not a long-term solution. Root is 35 and already has 14278 Test runs. He can still be their best batter and their most experienced player, but England’s next era will eventually need a new face.
Brook has already shown that he is capable of taking over games at Test level. His numbers against Pakistan are particularly remarkable having scored more than 1,000 runs against them at an average above 85. Even during England’s recent 3-0 series win, he continued to look comfortable against their attack. There is also the age factor. Brook is 27 and Root is 35. That difference matters when England starts thinking beyond the next series.
Harry Brook has the batting but England need more leaders
The interesting part of England’s rebuild is that Brook is not the only player who could become central to the team. Jamie Smith has already become an important part of the Test side. At 26, the wicketkeeper-batter has plenty of time to develop into one of England’s mainstays. His batting gives the side another attacking option in the middle order, and his role becomes even more important now that Stokes’ runs are gone.
Then there are the younger players still trying to establish themselves. Jordan Cox has impressed during the Pakistan series while Jacob Bethell remains one of the best young players in the setup. He has already led England in a T20I series in Ireland and has shown maturity and the game required for the highest level.
– 41 Tests.
– 53+ Average.
– 85+ Strike rate.
– 20* Fifties.
– 10 Hundreds.HARRY BROOK – THE NO.1 TEST BATTER IN THE WORLD FOR A REASON. ⭐ pic.twitter.com/CY6YurF5G4
— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) September 9, 2026
However none of them are ready to carry the team yet. That is precisely why the next couple of years matter. England also need their bowling attack to become less dependent on the occasional contribution from an all-rounder. Stokes’ ability to give England overs was often overlooked when his batting was doing the headlines. Without him, the balance of the XI becomes a bigger selection issue.
Stephen Fleming wanted Joe Root as captain
The former New Zealand captain replaced Brendon McCullum as England’s Test coach, bringing an end to the Stokes-McCullum partnership that completely changed how the side approached Test cricket. Fleming’s team does not have to abandon everything that came before. But there is an opportunity to make some changes. The team has lost Stokes, McCullum is gone and Root is back as captain. It is effectively the start of another chapter.
For Root, the immediate job is to provide stability. For Brook, it is about becoming more than an exciting young batter. That distinction could define England’s next few years. Brook has already scored Test hundreds and has shown that he can dominate attacks and score quickly without making reckless batting look like the plan. He was the vice-captain when Stokes was around but that is no longer the case. What England need now is greater consistency and, eventually, the authority to take responsibility when the senior players are no longer there.
The 2027 Ashes could be an important marker. England have five Tests against Australia at home, following tours of South Africa and the one-off Test at the MCG. By then, Root will be 36 and England will have a much clearer idea of which younger players are staying around.
Brook should be one of them and it would be unfair to expect him to fill the space Stokes leaves behind as very few cricketers could. Stokes became the face of England’s Test team because he combined leadership, match-winning ability and a personality that made the team feel like his own. The next England side is likely to look different. Root can help them through the transition but it is Harry Brook who has the best chance of leading what comes after it.
