ROOT TO GO BACK TO No4
Skipper dispels any doubts about new role, and reveals he wants young player as deputy
JOE ROOT will return to the rank and file of Test cricket at No4 in the batting order as Ben Stokes stamps his imprint on the England team.
Root was surprisingly shunted up a place for his final series before the recent captaincy change — the 1-0 defeat by West Indies — despite a stunning 12-month period preceding it, which saw him hit six hundreds
The theory was his promotion to three would help solve England’s longstanding top order issues.
However, Stokes is not inclined to sacrifice the side’s greatest strength to fix its biggest weakness and has followed confirmation of his own switch to No6 by penning Root’s name in at four.
‘Wherever Joe bats, he gets runs, but his best position is at four,’ Stokes said.
WHEN Ben Stokes wants something, he doesn’t stand on ceremony. Even if that something is as big as the England Test captaincy.
It was not necessarily something he was willing to share but besieged by questions – about his suitability for the job, its shelf life and how he intends to cope with the transition from a player who leads the way via actions to one who calls the shots – during his unveiling, he jumped on to the front foot to reveal he was proactive in the process that led to him succeeding Joe Root.
Rather than await contact from Rob Key, the new managing director of cricket, he decided to take matters into his own hands and make his ambition known.
Leaning forward in his chair at Durham’s Emirates Riverside, a place he has called home for half his life, the 30-year-old said: ‘After the news about Joe and speculation about who was going to do it, I phoned Rob a few days later and said: “I just want to make you aware, if the opportunity is there I’m ready for it.” Just to stop any “Will he? Won’t he?” talk.’
It is an episode reminiscent of three years ago when, stirred by the belief it would be beneficial for the team as they headed into the Ashes, he sent the ECB chief executive Tom Harrison a text message asking to be reinstated as vice-captain, after he lost the role as a punishment for involveso ment in the infamous Bristol street fracas in 2017.
Although Key later said he would have chosen Stokes even if there were 10 other options, the truth is there was a lack of viable candidates to stand against him and the major opposition to the verification of England’s 81st captain was a concern of the overspill caused by adding courses to a pretty full plate. One need cast the mind back only a few months for a reminder of this particular job’s 24-7 demands. In the build-up to the Ashes, colleagues spoke of their admiration for Root, who invested hours of energy making sure England’s touring party had as much freedom as possible under Australia’s strict Covid protocols.
Stokes was unavailable for Root to lean on then due to his mental health break but advocates official deputies, for both support and their own development, and ideally would now like to make his own appointment before the first Test against New Zealand on June 2.
‘In terms of vicecaptain, there are many I could look at,’ said Stokes. ‘What I do think needs to be considered is, should it be one of the more senior players or am I going to pick one of the younger players who we can give extra responsibility.
‘I think I was 24, 25 and we have so many players at that sort of age. It would almost be stupid not to give them that extra responsibility when we want to see this next generation and give these younger guys opportunity to perform for long enough in an England jumper.’
Stokes’ words appear to hint at Zak Crawley, a player who has made a strong impression on the group with his work ethic, demeanour and obvious natural talent. A sticking point is a lack of form and whether he can justify his place. Since making his second Test hundred at the start of the West Indies series in March, he has one 50 in 10 first-class innings.
If there is a delay, Stokes does have other sources of advice at hand. ‘I’ll be using Joe. Being captain of England is a completely different kettle of fish. But not just Joe, I’ve got so many senior players in that dressing room it would be stupid not to get their opinion. I don’t want to just come in and it be “this is Ben’s way; this is how we’re doing it.’’ Everyone’s opinion matters. I have my ideas and things I really want to push, but I need a dressing room that is going to follow me. So, I feel like allowing people to be heard and to speak is a good place to start.’
The extra demands of captaincy are sure to reduce further his limited-overs appearances for England this summer and with a long-standing knee injury flaring up ahead of his record-busting, six-laden hundred against Worcestershire at New Road, downtime is sure to be factored in for July when he passes the leadership baton to Eoin Morgan.
‘It is ridiculous the amount of cricket that is expected of people to play. The fact there is a Test match and one-day series overlapping this summer sums it up. It really needs looking at from a workload point of view. It is just so much,’ he said.
‘I don’t want to miss England matches. I want to play as much as I can for England but in an ideal world you would not want to be having discussions about when you want to rest. You would have a schedule that allows you to play everything — unfortunately it is not possible. My number one priority is Test cricket at the moment so I have to prioritise that over white ball.’
A new selection structure is yet to be created but Stokes will be part of it and will ditch the rotation policy that contributed to a woefully underwhelming return of one win in 17 matches.
Not that he is averse to making tough calls. As he reminds us on the eve of recalls for Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, he was the one who delivered the news when the latter was originally dropped, with Root on paternity leave, at the start of summer 2020.
‘I have a firm belief that honesty is the best policy and I wanted to be the one to tell him because if I didn’t, if I’d left it for someone else to do, then all the respect Broady has for me would have gone straight out of the window,’ said Stokes. ‘He
It is ridiculous the amount of cricket that is expected of people to play
was upset by the decision and that was completely the right reaction to see from someone like that. But that didn’t affect us. That was a decision made about our sporting careers and he had every right to challenge me but once that’s over and done with that’s a completely different relationship to the one you have with the person as a friend.
‘What I would hate is for people to be out of my company and be like “F***ing hell, he’s changed a lot since he’s been captain.” I don’t want that.’
One relationship that will be crucial, as Stokes begins a quest to haul England out of the trough of their lowest Test points rating since 1995, is that of captain and coach.
Applications for the split roles offically closed on Friday but Key has been busy working on a quick Test appointment with Gary Kirsten expected to be the successful candidate. Whoever is chosen, however, under the leadership of Stokes it is unlikely the team will be allowed to take any backward steps.