England’s new Test captaincy decision has left Ben Stokes with mixed feelings. Joe Root is all set to begin his second stint as England’s Test captain and his former captain and close friend Ben Stokes has said that he is both happy and worried for him.
As soon as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) gave Joe Root the job again, Ben Stokes called him and told him that his only worry is him (Joe Root).
This worry comes from Joe Root’s first time as a captain. He led England from 2017 to 2022. During that period, the team’s performance became very dull and stagnant. Joe Root’s own batting also suffered badly – he was getting a lot of fifties but was not able to convert them into hundreds. After he left the captaincy, Joe Root himself said the pressure was so much that he used to feel like a zombie and used to take all the stress back home to his family.
Speaking on a podcast with Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes shared his feelings. He said he loves Joe Root and only wants success for him. He added that Joe Root will enjoy working with Stephen Fleming, who he described as a great man and someone he has worked with before. But he again said his only worry is how Joe Root handles himself.
It is interesting to note that when Ben Stokes was still the captain, he had wanted Harry Brook to become the next Test captain, not Joe Root. But the ECB felt it was too early for Harry Brook who is already the captain of the ODI and T20I teams.
Ben Stokes explained why he is worried. He said Joe Root has a habit of always thinking about the team first and putting himself second. Ben Stokes said this nature is his biggest concern. He does not want Joe Root to go through the same difficult phase again because he cares for him a lot. In the end, he wished Joe Root all the success and said he is excited to see what the team does next.