Former batter Mark Butcher has backed Sam Curran to take over as England's T20I captain in the near future. This comes amid rumours surrounding Harry Brook, who is close to being named Test captain following Ben Stokes' retirement.
In an ideal world, England would not want to have a single captain across all three formats of the game. Therefore, should Brook be named Test skipper, Butcher wants Curran to take over the 20-over side. The former player-turned-expert also backs the Surrey star to fill
the all-rounder void left behind by Stokes in the Test side ahead of the Three Lions' Test series against Pakistan next month.
“I think Sam Curran would do a great job as T20I captain. And funnily enough, Sam Curran's stock in terms of Test match cricket has just kind of gone up, hasn't it? Given what England are likely to need to plug the gap that that Stokes has left as an all-rounder," Mark Butcher said on the Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast.
Curran does have the experience of captaining teams in the shortest format of the game. He had led Surrey in the T20 Blast and most notably guided the Desert Vipers to the ILT20 title in late 2025.
Butcher also believes that Brook is the only choice at England's disposal to lead the Test team.
“I think he [Brook] is both the best option and the only option [to be England’s Test captain]. I think somebody who is in the right time of his life and career, age-wise, and can literally give it absolutely every minute of his time because that's what it requires and that's why it's so damn difficult. You have to be everything to everybody in that job and score your runs too," Butcher added.
Stokes retired from international cricket after England suffered a 2-1 series loss against New Zealand. Brook, meanwhile, is currently in charge of the T20I side competing in a five-match series against India before an ODI series against the same opponents.
