Ben Stokes should lead England in Tests, say former skippers

Vaughan, though, added Stokes will require help from other experienced players in the team

Former England captains Michael Vaughan and Mike Atherton say talismanic all-rounder Ben Stokes should fill the vacuum left after Joe Root resigned as Test skipper. Stokes—presently nursing a knee injury—can take the England job with an easy conscience as he had said he would turn it down if his good friend Root was sacked. Root, though, walked of his own accord announcing his resignation on Friday.

Veteran fast bowler Stuart Broad has also been mentioned as a potential captain, but his place in the side is seen as being less secure—he was controversially omitted from the West Indies tour. “I don’t see anyone else who could take the position and be guaranteed of their place in the side,” said Vaughan referring to Stokes.

“In Ben Stokes you have clearly got someone who has got a smart cricket brain, he’s going to give it everything, he is certainly going to have the respect of the players around him.” Vaughan, though, added Stokes will require help from other experienced players in the team. “Stokes is everything in a person and a player that you would want,” said 47-year-old Vaughan. 

Atherton—who captained England 54 times—said 30-year-old Stokes could be a stop gap skipper. “That Root stepped down of his own accord makes it easier now for Stokes, the only viable candidate, to take over,” wrote Atherton in The Times.

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