San Francisco Frontiers - England cricket chief Key refuses to rule out Stokes return

Key, the managing director of men's cricket for the England and Wales Cricket Board, was speaking a day after the ECB confirmed Stephen Fleming as the new head coach of the Test team.

The appointment of the former New Zealand skipper, alongside a return to the Test captaincy for Joe Root, comes after a turbulent few weeks for England.

First, Stokes announced he was quitting international cricket during play in the third Test against New Zealand -- the visitors won the match to clinch the series 2-1.

The Durham all-rounder, 35, had been dropped for the second Test after breaking a team curfew at a London nightclub, the latest in a series of off-field incidents involving England players.

Two weeks later coach Brendon McCullum was axed as the red-ball coach, bringing the curtain down on the "Bazball" era of ultra-attacking Test cricket he had led alongside Stokes.

McCullum, another former New Zealand captain, remains in charge of England's white-ball teams.

Speaking at Lord's on Friday, Key said he would not rule out a headline-grabbing return for Stokes, with a home Ashes series against Australia looming in 2027.

Asked if Fleming had floated the idea, he said: "We haven't got round to that at the moment, but it would be a great story."

Pressed on Stokes giving any indication of a change of heart, Key added: "No, he hasn't but I wouldn't be surprised. Anything's possible with Ben.

"No (bridges have been burned)... not at all. Not as far as I'm concerned."

Fleming will not arrive in Britain until September, meaning he will not take charge of the three-match Test series against Pakistan, that starts in August.

But Key played down concerns over Fleming's delayed start.

"My job is to get the best person," he said. "It wasn't a stipulation for any of the candidates that you had to be there for Pakistan.

"Had that been the case, that would have limited the field drastically."

H.Reyes--SFF