Stokes Looks To Future After 'hardest Period' As Captain

Ben Stokes says nan past 3 months person been "the hardest period" of his England captaincy, and backed nan existent authorities to return nan squad forward.

The 34-year-old posted an unfastened missive to fans connected societal media aft it was announced that he, caput coach Brendon McCullum and England squad managing head Rob Key would remain successful their posts contempt a 4-1 Ashes conclusion complete nan winter.

England's Test circuit of Australia was blighted by mediocre planning, substandard performances and off-the-field issues including concerns complete intoxicant consumption.

Despite this, nan England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) resisted changing unit aft a reappraisal of nan tour.

Earlier connected Monday, Key said location was "no bust-up" betwixt Stokes and McCullum during nan Ashes contempt nan brace offering conflicting messages during nan series.

Stokes subsequently said, successful a station pinch a image of himself, Key and McCullum, nan existing England activity group person nan basal "passion and desire" arsenic he looked to nan future.

"Being England skipper is nan top honour a subordinate tin beryllium fixed and I do not return it for granted," Stokes wrote.

"It has its highs and it has its lows, it makes you want to grin it makes you want to cry. It wholly and utterly consumes you and feels for illustration it's nan only point successful your life astatine times.

"The past 3 months has without a uncertainty been nan hardest play of my captaincy journey, it's tested maine successful truthful galore different ways and I'm judge each different skipper has gone done this arsenic well.

"Baz [McCullum], Rob [Key] and myself person nan passion and desire to return this squad forward, we are going to springiness you everything we have, we cognize we made mistakes on nan measurement and we person learnt from those mistakes, you study much from nonaccomplishment than success."

Stokes has not played since he sustained a groin problem successful nan 5th Ashes Test successful Sydney successful January.

He is expected to play for Durham successful nan County Championship early adjacent period earlier attraction switches to England's summertime Test series' against New Zealand successful June and Pakistan successful August and September.

Stokes acknowledged he had "learned a batch astir myself" during a testing play successful his profession and posted a number of expletives, pinch asterisks, emphasising really overmuch he "loves" cricket, nan England squad and being captain.

"I person sewage truthful overmuch much to springiness to this domiciled and I'm truthful happy that I get to do it pinch Baz and Rob," he added.

"We each admit each azygous personification who supports us. We do what we do for galore reasons, but 1 of those reasons is to bring our supporters and fans happiness and and a consciousness of pridefulness and we will purpose to do those things arsenic overmuch arsenic we tin successful nan future."