National skipper will serve under Andrew Flintoff while recovering from injury
England captain Ben Stokes is to join the coaching staff for the national second-string ‘Lions’ team in the United Arab Emirates next month.
Stokes is currently recovering from an adductor injury suffered in the fifth Ashes Test in Australia earlier this month, but plans to join the England Lions, who’ll play a T20 and ODI series against Pakista Shaheens in February.
The 34-year-old will be part of Andrew Flintoff’s coaching staff for the series while continuing his rehabilitation work in the UAE.
The coaching team – which will attend either all or part of the tour – also includes Neil McKenzie, Sarah Taylor, Neil Killeen, Moeen Ali and Amar Rashid, while it will be Australian Troy Cooley’s first tour since returning to the England and Wales Cricket Board as men’s elite national pace bowling lead.
Spinner Moeen joins the Lions for the first time as a coach, while Jordan Cox and Dan Mousley will captain the respective T20 and 50-over squads.
The Lions will play a three-match T20 series and five 50-over matches, their first away white-ball series since visiting Sri Lanka in 2022.
