Three players who can replace Ben Stokes as England's Test captain (Photo source: Philip Brown/Getty Images)

England's Test team has found itself in a spot of turmoil with revelations of captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson involved in an incident at a nightclub after their victory in the first Test of the 2026 summer against New Zealand at Lord's.

What promised to be a summer of recalibration and rediscovery for the Three Lions has gone up in flames, with the resurfaced demons of the winter Ashes series, where a dismal 4-1 series loss was further marred by severe drinking-related incidents. Multiple unconfirmed reports have emerged of Stokes' future, both with respect to captaincy and his continuity as a cricketer. With the final call on his future still up in the air, we aim to dive deeper into the contingencies within the current England squad.

Here are 3 potential replacements for Ben Stokes as England's Test captain: 3. Ben Duckett Ben Duckett. (Photo source: X)

Ben Duckett is probably one of the most experienced players within the current England squad, as they look to transition from the golden generation, which saw much all-format success along with winning the 2019 World Cup. The southpaw himself was unsure of his place in the team after he failed in Australia, but his selection indicates that he now stands as one of the senior players in the team.

Duckett does not have much captaincy experience apart from a stint leading Welsh Fire in the Men's Hundred in 2021 and a handful of games as skipper of the England U-19s in 2014. Despite this, Duckett's position as a senior player would see him thrust into the leadership picture. He has been one of the most successful players of the 'Bazball' regime under coach Brendon McCullum, averaging 41.8 in 74 innings at a strike rate of 87.4 with 15 half-centuries and six centuries. And captaincy could be a way for him to give back to the regime for the faith they showed him. 

2. Ollie Robinson

Ollie Robinson has had quite the return to the England Test side. The seam bowler was dropped from the side after the 2024 series loss in India due to fitness concerns and other off-field issues. But with England needing an attack leader after poor bowling displays in the Ashes, the metronomic Robinson was once again called upon ahead of the 2026 summer. A dream return saw him finish the first Test against New Zealand with career-best match figures of 7 for 77. He also scalped his best innings figures of 5 for 39 in the first dig, bowling a three-wicket maiden in his first over back in England whites.

Robinson's recall comes on the back of stunning performances for Sussex, who he captains in the County Championship. A newfound energy and work ethic have left England selectors and management awestruck, making his recall a fairly easy decision. His metronomic accuracy has seen him propped up as the possible successor to Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, but his recent leadership experience sees him as a viable but left-field contender for England captaincy.

1. Harry Brook Harry Brook. (Photo source: X/England Cricket)

Harry Brook could essentially be referred to as the 'Bazball' regime's pet project. The middle-order batter has been one of England's most mercurial players since his debut in 2022. He has become an all-format mainstay, not to mention he also leads the Three Lions in both white-ball formats. He oversaw a semi-final finish in the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup and has been a key facet as England transitions from Eoin Morgan's successful side. He was also made the vice-captain of the Test side before the winter Ashes, taking over from Ollie Pope, who had stood in for Stokes on multiple occasions.

In an ideal world, Brook would have been the straightforward choice, but his earlier track record would raise doubts about his immediate appointment in the current climate. Brook himself was infamously involved in an altercation with a bouncer in Wellington during England's white-ball tour to New Zealand in late 2025. While he was not severely reprimanded to keep him out of the firing line, the situation casts doubts over his appointment in this scenario.