Stuart Broad has played down speculation linking him with the vacant England captaincy - instead seeming to suggest the role should go to Ben Stokes.
Joe Root resigned as Test skipper earlier this week after a chastening run of just one victory in 17 matches.
That included a 4-0 Ashes defeat Down Under followed by a 1-0 reverse in the West Indies, with Root ultimately calling time on his reign as captain.
Broad and fellow England great Jimmy Anderson were controversially left out of the tour to the Caribbean, and the Nottinghamshire seamer insists his focus is fully on regaining his place in the side - not taking the reins at skipper.
He wrote in the Daily Mail: "Naturally, I am aware that my name has been touted as a potential successor to Joe as England captain and I guess that is because I am an experienced centrally contracted player who has been around the international game a long time.
"However, it is not something I have given any thought to because firstly I am not currently in possession of a shirt within the England Test team and my focus is very much on changing that by taking wickets for Nottinghamshire over the next few weeks.
"In fact, I would argue we are in a fairly unique position as far as selection for the Test team goes right now in that there are only two players whose names you could write in pen on the scorecard.
"One of them is Joe Root, the other is Ben Stokes — and one of them isn't going to be captain for the first Test of the summer against New Zealand at Lord's on June 2 because he has just given the job away."
Broad gave a glowing assessment of Root as both a player and a person in the wake of his resignation, with the Yorkshireman now focusing all his attentions on securing his status as arguably England's best-ever batsman.
And Broad insists he harbours no ill feeling towards his former skipper over omissions in the Ashes and in the West Indies.
"People may question my relationship with Joe given recent history but I've always been good at differentiating between friendship and business and of course while I was frustrated by decisions to leave me out of Ashes matches and for the tour of West Indies, I didn't show bitterness towards Joe," he added.
"From my point of view, that's professional sport and it would never stop me enjoying a nice glass of red wine or playing a round of golf with those who came to such decisions."
