Team captain Joe Root may miss out their Test match against the West Indies at the Ageas Bowl next month.
English team captain Joe Root’s wife is due to give birth to their second child at the start of July. With that, he will miss out on the team’s first Test against the West Indies which is most likely to take place on July 8. With him being out for that match, then vice-captain Ben Stokes would serve to be the captain on the said event.
Commenting about Stokes’ leadership skills, Root says, ’I think if Ben was captain he would be fantastic. One of his great qualities as vice-captain and as a leader is he sets the example, the way he goes about his training, how he wants to bowl in difficult circumstances, the way he stands up in different scenarios with the bat’.
‘He drags people with him and gets the best out of the players around him. I think that's a great quality to have as a leader and something he can take into captaincy if he was to get the opportunity. I could see him doing a very good job’, he added.
When it comes to experience, Stokes already has some as he had already captained three matches in his career. One of those is for Durham’s under-17s while the other two were for Durham’s Academy. However, this upcoming scenario would be his first time to captain the national team.
The West Indies tour of England, estimated to be happening on July 8, is still subject to the government’s clearance. This tour consists of three Test matches which are to be held behind closed doors. To further understand this cricket format, check out Betwala.
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