England red-ball captain Ben Stokes believes Flintoff will be seen as a full-time coach after supporting the England team in the New Zealand series at home. Andrew Flintoff joined his team in England’s back room, making his first appearance since the horrific car accident a few months earlier.
During the ODI series against New Zealand in September 2023, Flintoff made his first public appearance as part of England’s coaching staff. Flintoff was seriously injured in a crash during his BBC filming of the Top Gear test in Surrey at his track in December 2022.
In an interview with the Telegraph, Ben Stokes said that Andrew Flintoff could be brought in as full-time coach immediately after his return to the team after a serious accident. Stokes also added that Flintoff had enjoyed working with the team and had grown in confidence during his series against New Zealand.
“Freddie’s personality was perfect for television after his cricketing career ended. But then, seeing him come back, it was clear that he would be involved as a full-time coach. You can imagine that,” he added.
“He loved every moment of it. He said he was in awe of what he saw. “With each day he spent with us, he grew more confident. It deepened,” Ben Stokes said.
Flintoff’s position was not made clear to behind-the-scenes staff. He was brought in to observe the players and provide observations based on his vast knowledge of cricket. He has the potential to be a great player for England during his playing days, so the players could ask him questions and tap into his knowledge.
On the other hand, Ben Stokes made a successful return to the team by scoring a hundred against New Zealand in ODI cricket, and as a left-handed all-rounder, he played very well and contributed to England’s record as England’s top individual scorer in ODIs. . In the third match of the series, he scores 182 runs, including 9 sixes and 15 fours.
Ben Stokes will be England’s key middle-order batsman alongside Joe Root, Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone. This is because they could play a key role in the defending champions’ chances of retaining the ODI World Cup Championship to be held in India. The 32-year-old has been England’s biggest match-winner in recent years, delivering some memorable successes for his team at ICC events.
