diff --git a/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-esql-utils/src/utils/cascaded_documents_helpers/index.test.ts b/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-esql-utils/src/utils/cascaded_documents_helpers/index.test.ts
index 3922e55c5523d..b3dc1683a24f3 100644
--- a/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-esql-utils/src/utils/cascaded_documents_helpers/index.test.ts
+++ b/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-esql-utils/src/utils/cascaded_documents_helpers/index.test.ts
@@ -185,6 +185,30 @@ describe('cascaded documents helpers utils', () => {
       expect(result.appliedFunctions).toEqual([]);
     });
 
+    it('should return empty metadata when a group field is an inline cast wrapping an unsupported function', () => {
+      const queryString = `FROM kibana_sample_data_logs | STATS count = COUNT(*) BY ts = BUCKET(@timestamp, 1 hour)::string`;
+
+      const result = getESQLStatsQueryMeta(queryString);
+      expect(result.groupByFields).toEqual([]);
+      expect(result.appliedFunctions).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it('should return empty metadata when a group field among multiple is an inline cast wrapping an unsupported function', () => {
+      const queryString = `FROM kibana_sample_data_logs | STATS count = COUNT(*) BY agent.keyword, ts = BUCKET(@timestamp, 1 hour)::string`;
+
+      const result = getESQLStatsQueryMeta(queryString);
+      expect(result.groupByFields).toEqual([]);
+      expect(result.appliedFunctions).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it('should allow an inline cast of a simple column', () => {
+      const queryString = `FROM kibana_sample_data_logs | STATS count = COUNT(*) BY casted = clientip::keyword`;
+
+      const result = getESQLStatsQueryMeta(queryString);
+      expect(result.groupByFields).toEqual([{ field: 'casted', type: 'inlineCast' }]);
+      expect(result.appliedFunctions).toEqual([{ identifier: 'count', aggregation: 'COUNT' }]);
+    });
+
     it('should return the appropriate metadata despite there being a keep, as long as it specifies the current group field', () => {
       const queryString = `
         FROM kibana_sample_data_logs | STATS Visits = COUNT(), Unique = COUNT_DISTINCT(clientip), p95 = PERCENTILE(bytes, 95), median = MEDIAN(bytes) BY response.keyword | KEEP Visits, Unique, p95, median, response.keyword | LIMIT 123
diff --git a/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-esql-utils/src/utils/cascaded_documents_helpers/index.ts b/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-esql-utils/src/utils/cascaded_documents_helpers/index.ts
index f98737c2ddc0e..f89574c10295f 100644
--- a/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-esql-utils/src/utils/cascaded_documents_helpers/index.ts
+++ b/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-esql-utils/src/utils/cascaded_documents_helpers/index.ts
@@ -23,12 +23,14 @@ import {
   type ESQLColumn,
   isBinaryExpression,
   Walker,
+  isInlineCast,
 } from '@kbn/esql-language';
 import type {
   BinaryExpressionComparisonOperator,
   ESQLBinaryExpression,
   ESQLUnaryExpression,
   ESQLPostfixUnaryExpression,
+  ESQLProperNode,
 } from '@kbn/esql-language/src/types';
 import type { DataView } from '@kbn/data-views-plugin/public';
 import type { ESQLControlVariable } from '@kbn/esql-types';
@@ -53,6 +55,22 @@ import {
   isCategorizeFunctionWithFunctionArgument,
 } from './utils';
 
+const hasUnsupportedGroupingFunction = (definition: ESQLProperNode): boolean => {
+  const funcExpr = isFunctionExpression(definition)
+    ? definition
+    : isInlineCast(definition) && isFunctionExpression(definition.value)
+    ? definition.value
+    : null;
+
+  if (!funcExpr) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  return (
+    !isSupportedStatsFunction(funcExpr.name) || isCategorizeFunctionWithFunctionArgument(funcExpr)
+  );
+};
+
 type NodeType = 'group' | 'leaf';
 
 export interface AppliedStatsFunction {
@@ -141,11 +159,8 @@ export const getESQLStatsQueryMeta = (queryString: string): ESQLStatsQueryMeta =
     }
 
     const groupFieldDefinition = getFieldDefinitionFromArg(groupFieldNode.arg);
-    if (
-      isFunctionExpression(groupFieldDefinition) &&
-      (!isSupportedStatsFunction(groupFieldDefinition.name) ||
-        isCategorizeFunctionWithFunctionArgument(groupFieldDefinition))
-    ) {
+
+    if (hasUnsupportedGroupingFunction(groupFieldDefinition)) {
       // if the group field has a grouping function that is not supported,
       // this nullifies the entire query to count as a valid query for the cascade experience
       groupByFields.splice(0, groupByFields.length);