Great tactician Stokes will be an inspiration
FORMER COACH COOK BACKS HIM FOR JOB
HE may be short of captaincy experience, but former Durham coach Geoff Cook is backing Ben Stokes to complete his fairytale journey from pariah to the top job in English cricket.
Joe Root’s decision to step down from the captaincy on Friday has left the England all-rounder as favourite to take over as skipper.
And if Stokes does get the nod, just four years after finding himself facing an uncertain future following an incident outside a Bristol nightclub, it would represent one of English cricket’s great comeback stories.
Cook (below) is the former England opener who handed Stokes his firstclass debut at Durham during his time there as coach. And he knows that Stokes has always had the stomach to tackle a challenge head on.
He believes that the 30-year-old has already won half the battle, with his allround brilliance with bat and ball capable of inspiring everyone else in this England side.
Cook says: “Ben didn’t captain a Durham team during my time at the club, but the players always followed his example – which is a crucial part of the captaincy.
“I think that has been the same with England as well. If you’ve won that battle by your own actions then that’s a huge advantage if you’re stepping into the role.
“Ben’s a very astute tactician as well, he knows the game and he understands what makes people strong and what makes them not so strong.
“He’s more than just a very good cricketer, he’s a very bright cricketer.”
History shows that all-rounders have a patchy record leading England.
The most high-profile examples being Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff, who both suffered disastrous spells at the helm.
There’s no doubt that handing Stokes the job would pile additional pressure on a cricketer who England are already incredibly reliant on.
But as he has shown over the past decade, Stokes thrives on responsibility and likes nothing better than a backsto-the-wall battle.
His heroic, match-winning effort against Australia at Headingley in 2019 – when he scored an incredible 135 not out as England won by one wicket – was the perfect demonstration of that.
If he does get the chance to step into Root’s shoes then England will hope his example can take his underachieving team-mates to new heights.
They are crying out for a boost after winning just one of their past 17 Tests – the worst run since the darkest days of the 1980s.
England failed to win an Ashes series under Root’s leadership. They were thrashed 4-0 in 2017 and 2021 and, in between, drew a home series 2-2 against their oldest foe in 2019.
One leading member of Australia’s management team told me: “Ben’s the last man standing, isn’t he?
“The appointment of Stokes would be welcomed here as well. You need a strong character to cope with everything that comes with the Test job.
“I can’t see anyone else in this England team who could take that on and be a success.”