Stokes expected to be named England Test captain today

Ben Stokes is expected to be named the new Test captain of the England men's cricket team on Thursday after holding positive talks with managing director Rob Key.

The 30-year-old Stokes wants the job and is understood to be the standout candidate and credible option after Joe Root's resignation from the role following the Test series loss in the West Indies earlier this year.

Key is set to speak to the media for the first time in his new role as MD of England men's cricket on Thursday. Stokes is not expected to be there.

Meanwhile, the England and Wales Cricket Board has placed a job advertisement which confirms two head coaches will be appointed, one for Test cricket and another for the limited-overs formats.

England previously had two separate head coaches between 2012 and 2014, with Andy Flower at the helm for red-ball cricket and Ashley Giles in charge of the white-ball sides.

Chris Silverwood departed as England head coach after the 4-0 Ashes thrashing this winter, with Paul Collingwood taking charge on an interim basis for the 1-0 Test series defeat in the West Indies in March.

The job advert says the new head coaches will "play a central role in selecting the team for their respective format alongside a national selection panel."

The role of national selector was previously abolished in 2021 with Ed Smith leaving the ECB and then-coach Silverwood charged with heading up player selection.

The deadline for applications for the head coach roles is May 6 with first-stage interviews set to take place on May 9 and 10.

Sky Sports News understands Key, whose appointment as successor to Giles as England MD was confirmed on Easter Sunday, has not yet made any official approaches to coaches but contenders are emerging.

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