England coach Chris Silverwood is confident “talisman” Ben Stokes will lead from the front in Joe Root’s absence during next week’s first T...
England coach Chris Silverwood is confident “talisman” Ben Stokes will lead from the front in Joe Root’s absence during next week’s first Test against the West Indies.
Stokes is set to captain England for the first time after it was confirmed on Tuesday that regular skipper Root would miss the series opener at the Ageas Bowl to be with his wife Carrie, who is expecting the couple’s second child later this week.
Under health protocols for the series, Root will begin a seven-day self-isolation period at home once he leaves hospital with his family, in a measure designed to combat the spread of coronavirus.
That means vice-captain Stokes, who has not led a cricket team since he was a teenager, is set to be their skipper for the first Test.
“I think he’ll do a great job. He is a talisman, he leads from the front anyway,” Silverwood told a conference call on Tuesday. “He’s conscious of the people around him as well so I think he’ll do a great job in Rooty’s absence.”
Former England paceman Silverwood added: “It will be interesting to see what he does because obviously it is his first time captaining England. We know he has got an aggressive nature but equally there is a...
