Stuart Broad believes England should stay clear of Ben Stokes as they continue their search for a new white-ball captain.
Jos Buttler recently opted to resign from the role after the Three Lions toiled at the Champions Trophy.
Stokes is currently the clear favourite to take over, with the all-rounder already skippering England at Test level.
Promoting the 33-year-old would likely win support from fans, many of which have seen him establish himself as a legend of the sport.
Stuart Broad believes England should stay clear of Ben Stokes as they continue their search for a new white-ball captain.
PA
Yet Broad, who often played alongside Stokes during his cricket career, believes giving his old team-mate the captaincy would be a terrible move.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: “Going for Stokes would be a move of desperation.
“I would be lost for words if England appointed him.
“Firstly, there is the schedule. He’s not going to the Indian Premier League to try to prioritise the Test match team and get his physicality right for the big events on the horizon.
“How many overs has Stokes bowled successfully in the last three years while battling his knee injuries? Not many.
“And you’re going to add another eight to 10 overs in a 50-over format onto his workload? The mathematics of that make no sense.
“As someone who played 121 one-day internationals I can honestly say I found the 50-over format more tiring than Test match cricket.
“Why? Because it’s such high intensity.
Jos Buttler recently stepped down as England white-ball captain
PA
“You bowl 10 overs in three and a half hours, during which you are running from fielding positions, sprinting after balls all the time, non stop.
“Ben Stokes is the best captain we’ve got, but it doesn’t mean he’s the right person to do the 50-over job.
“Let’s face it, we’re not scheduling things to help the one-day team.
“The hierarchy are not bothered by 50-over cricket. We have no structure to be able to train our players to play it, so why would you risk Ben Stokes’ body to captain something like that?”
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Stokes has struggled with injuries over the past six months.
The cricketer continues to battle a hamstring tear – which is another reason why Broad has doubts about his credentials.
“A captain can’t be there leading 50 per cent of the games, he can’t just captain the 50-over World Cup,” continued the England legend.
“He needs to be around for the bilateral series, because if he isn’t, the team lacks consistent messaging and can’t develop a style of play.
Stuart Broad is concerned about Ben Stokes’ injury woes as England eye a new white-ball captain
PA
“But there is a problem, because I can’t pick you an outstanding candidate as an alternative. Harry Brook is a fantastic player, but your best players are not always your best captains.
“I’ve heard Sam Curran’s name mentioned, but he’s not in any of the squads at the moment, and although he’s captained some domestic franchises, not done so to any great success. He’s not lifted a trophy. Who else is there?
“What England need to decide is what the clearout looks like before they name someone who could lead the group forward.
“Some players in that team are evidently not good enough. Anyone who’s watched cricket for a long period of time can see it.”