Stuart Broad backs Ollie Pope to be Ben Stokes’ successor as England Test captain

Stuart Broad today backed Ollie Pope to become England’s next Test captain after playing down his own chances of taking over should anything happen to Ben Stokes.

Broad was one of the few alternative leadership candidates to Stokes when Joe Root stepped down with England at rock bottom last year after defeat in the Caribbean left them nursing a dismal run of just one win in 17 Tests.

And former England Twenty20 captain Broad was placed on stand-by to step in when Stokes was taken ill ahead of last year’s third Test against New Zealand at Headingley.

But now he feels his time, at 36, has gone and has identified Pope as England’s next leader after seeing him captain England in their two-day warm-up match here against a New Zealand XI ahead of next week’s first Test in Mount Maunganui.

‘I was going to captain in Leeds last year but then Ben was fine,’ said Broad after returning to the England side after missing the victory over Pakistan on paternity leave. ‘I think Popey is a great leader in the group actually.

Stuart Broad has backed 25-year-old Ollie Pope to be England’s next Test captain

The batter recently told Sportsmail it would be a ‘massive honour’ to skipper his country

‘He’s grown so much in the last year in the way he operates and the responsibility he has been given. He speaks really well in the group and he’s got a great cricket mind. There’s no doubt you can see him as a future England captain.’

Pope told Sportsmail in an exclusive interview that it would be ‘an amazing honour’ to captain England and added: ‘Cheers Broady!

‘There’s not a label on it, there’s no vice-captain, but if Stokesey wants to bounce ideas off me during a game I’m more than happy to use my knowledge. But he’s also got some amazing experience in the changing room which he will use.’

Ollie Pope has excelled as England’s number three under head coach Brendon McCullum