Stewart to join England set-up? 'There's no job to say yes to'

London — Alec Stewart has distanced himself from speculation linking him to a senior role in England’s post-Ashes shake-up, insisting “there isn’t a job to say yes or no to”.

The former England captain returned to his post as Surrey's director of cricket after a leave of absence to care for his late wife and has just been unveiled as the new president of the Cricketers' Trust, the charitable arm of the Professional Cricketers' Association. While his name has circulated as a possible candidate should the England and Wales Cricket Board opt for fresh off-field leadership, Stewart says the conversation is moot.

“There’s no jobs available so it’s a question that is not going to get answered,” Stewart told reporters. “I’ve come back into [Surrey] and got my feet under the desk again here, but it’s a question I can’t answer because there isn’t a job to say yes or no to. All I want is Surrey to be the best and England to be the best. Simple.”

England are conducting a wide-ranging review of the tour that ended in a 4-0 Ashes defeat, examining “tour planning and preparation, individual performance and behaviours” after reports of heavy drinking and inadequate preparation clouded the campaign. Stewart, who skippered England in 15 Tests and more than 100 internationals, supports the process but stopped short of volunteering solutions.

“We can all have opinions but our opinions don’t matter because we are not the decision makers,” he said. “It’s for those people who make the decisions at the ECB to review what they did and if they go, ‘no, if we had that time again we’d do exactly the same’, good on them. If they go, ‘do you know what? We would’ve done a few things differently’, then they’ve learned and they’ll correct it for the next tour.”

Away from the national spotlight, Stewart’s presidency of the Cricketers' Trust places him at the forefront of player welfare initiatives. A five-year impact report shows the trust spent £489,000 on mental-health support for 239 current and former professionals, nearly half its total expenditure. Services also cover substance-abuse treatment, addiction counselling, bereavement support and employment workshops for athletes transitioning out of the sport.

The family of Graham Thorpe, Stewart’s former Surrey and England team-mate who died in 2024, have been among the beneficiaries. “Sadly Thorpe’s no longer with us, but what the trust did and is doing for the Thorpe family is outstanding,” Stewart said. “It’s not just somebody who’s played 100 Test matches; it’s somebody who’s played one first-class game, or was in the game, not quite good enough, and fallen on hard times. The trust is there to support those families.”

Stewart emphasised that seeking help should be viewed as a strength. “If you put your hand up and need help, that is a sign of strength. To admit you’re not perfect is a massive strength and the trust is there for you.”

With no formal approach from the ECB on the table, Stewart’s immediate focus remains at the Kia Oval and within the trust, leaving England’s rebuilding project in the hands of the governing body’s review panel.