England red-ball skipper Ben Stokes believes that he can see Flintoff as a full-time coach after he assisted the England team during the New Zealand series on home soil. Andrew Flintoff made a first appearance since his terrible car incident a few months ago, joining the backroom staff of the England side.
During the ODI series against New Zealand in September 2023, Flintoff made his first public appearance as a member of England’s coaching staff. Flintoff sustained catastrophic injuries in the collision during a BBC shoot, which happened in December 2022 at the Top Gear Test Track in Surrey.
Speaking to the Telegraph, Ben Stokes said that Andrew Flintoff may be involved as a full-time coach soon after returning to the team after a tough accident. Stokes also added that Flintoff enjoyed working with the team and gained confidence during the New Zealand series.
“After his cricket career, Freddie’s personality was perfect for TV, But then you see him make a comeback, and you can picture him being involved as a full-time coach,” he added.
“He loved every minute of it. He said that he was in awe of what he was witnessing. Every day he spent with us, he grew more confident within himself,” Ben Stokes said.
In the backroom staff, Flintoff’s position was not made clear. He was called in to watch and offer observations to the players based on his significant cricketing knowledge. The players were able to ask him questions and benefit from his knowledge, as he can brilliant player for England during his playing days in the game.
Meanwhile, Ben Stokes made a brilliant return to the team in ODI cricket as he scored a century against New Zealand helped him to become the highest individual scorer ever for England in the ODI the left-handed all-rounder played exceedingly well to score 182 runs which included nine sixes and fifteen fours in the third game of the series.
Ben Stokes would be a key batter for England in the middle order alongside Joe Root, Jos Buttler, and Liam Livingstone, as they can be crucial for the defending champions’ chance of retaining the championship in the ODI World Cup in India. The 32-year-old has been the biggest match-winner for England in the last few years producing some memorable knocks for his team in ICC events.
