I’ll still be STOKED up ENGLAND STAR BEN PROMISES POSITIVE CRICKET WHEN HE TAKES OVER CAPTAINCY FROM ROOT
BEN STOKES has made a promise to captain England the way he plays – leading by example with total commitment to positivity.
That is what brings him most satisfaction, it is how he has the most fun and it is why, whenever Joe Root gets the call to head up north to be with his wife at the birth of their child, he will glance back at the waving Stokes much like a parent leaving his teenage son at the doorway with a free house for five days.
“I hope that I always try to set the example in terms of attitude and commitment towards what I do,” said Stokes.
“Having the added responsibility of being a captain also comes with pressure. If I am in charge that’s not going to change the way that I go about things, in terms of how I want to influence the game – which is to try to have a positive effect with the ball or bat in my hand.
“No matter what I decide in terms of choosing what to do in a certain situation, it will always be the positive route.
“Getting the opportunity to captain England is a huge honour – even if it’s only the once, you can still say, ‘Yeah, I’ve captained England’.
“I’ve been a senior player in the team since 2016 under Alastair Cook so being able to learn from Cookie and Rooty in various different situations throughout the game has rubbed off on me and will stand me in good stead.”
The comic book image of Stokes is one of superhuman feats, smashing fours and sixes off every ball and charging in taking wickets from every run up without even thinking, but of course he does think about things.
He might not be up all hours studying tactics and strategies, but in the heat of the battle he has a forensic eye for detail for what is required.
That is how he managed to produce the World Cup final and Headingley Ashes magic he displayed last summer. Those are the skills he will bring to the captaincy, and he also wants a say in making sure he’s got the right men alongside him for the job.
“When it comes to the crunch, I would quite like to have a decent say in terms of the final 11 that will be walking out on to the field,” he added.
“I feel like you could pick 16 guys but you can only have 11 in the team. Which is a great place to be. So what guys do in training and in the three day warmup will have an influence on who gets the nod.”