Steve Harmison has backed Joe Root to remain in his role as England captain and rubbished suggestions Ben Stokes should replace him.
England were beaten in the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford on Sunday as Australia retained the Ashes with one game left to play.
Current skipper Root has come in for some criticism and even faced calls to relinquish the role.
Geoffrey Boycott wrote in The Telegraph that it was time for him to consider stepping down.
The England legend claims Root ‘lacks any feel for captaincy’ and believes he does not possess the ‘gift’ of being a natural leader.
Harmison, though, disagrees with that view, telling talkSPORT Root is the only man for the job while explaining why it would be a major mistake to make Stokes skipper.
He said: “He (Joe Root) is the only man to lead England forward. You look through the group and I look round and there is no option.
“I would never ever give the captaincy to Stokes. I’ve seen what happened to Andrew Flintoff when they gave it to him.
“That’s not being negative to Andrew, it’s just that he was the man to take everything on.
“Whatever anybody does, do not give the captaincy to Ben Stokes because of what he’s got on his plate every time he goes out to bowl and bat.
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“He is our talisman and lead figure. History tells you, Botham didn’t last too long, Flintoff had too much on his plate with a poor side.
“The last thing the England cricket team need is Stokes as captain.
“The only one you could go for from a senior point of view, who has performed well in The Ashes, is Broad.
“He’s been England captain before but I don’t want him to be captain and I don’t think he needs the captaincy at this time.
“It has to be Joe.”
Harmison was not the only person calling for Root to stay on as captain with Surrey’s Gareth Batty believing he is the best man for the job.
Batty told talkSPORT: “He stays on absolutely. It’s just obvious that people make more criticisms when it isn’t going so well as when it is going well.
“Does he get the accolades he should when England are going well? It’s six of one and half a dozen of the other.”
Australia lead the five match series 2-1 with one game left to play at The Oval.
England have named an unchanged squad for that match starting on Thursday.