said Ben Stokes, England Test Captain.
The all-rounder expressed further exhaustion regarding his external media obligations immediately after securing the victory against New Zealand at Lord's.
"I was obviously very, very happy that we won this week," Stokes said.
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"I knew how big this game was in terms of the result, and how it was going to be perceived externally if it didn’t go well.
I probably won’t be real happy and smiling until I get up there and share a proper beer with the boys because I have to come here and do this – no disrespect to you guys [the media]."
Former England captain Mike Atherton previously documented similar struggles with prolonged leadership in his autobiography, noting how he declined an opportunity to step down after a narrow 1997 Test victory at the Oval.
"My mind was obsessed with cricket and the captaincy," wrote Mike Atherton, Former England Captain. "I was becoming completely self-absorbed, to the detriment of those around me."
Current team dynamics mirror past leadership transitions, specifically when batsman Joe Root resigned from the captaincy four years prior due to the personal toll of the position.
"It was the right decision for the group, first and foremost, but also for me personally, I wasn’t myself," said Joe Root, England Batsman.
"I was coming home from series, and I wasn’t able to switch off or be present with my family.
I could see myself as a shadow of the person that I want to be."
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Stokes is currently expected to take temporary time away from cricket as the ECB regulator reviews the disciplinary breach.
