Ben Stokes announced new England Test skipper, social media endorses
Ben Stokes has been announced as the new Test skipper of England. Meanwhile, social media has supported the decision made by the ECB.
FollowIn what could be said as the beginning of a new era in English cricket, all-rounder Ben Stokes has been announced as the new skipper of England’s Test side. He will be replacing Joe Root, who stepped down from the role earlier this month following England’s disastrous outing in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC). Meanwhile, social media approved the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB’s) decision.
Stokes is now the 81st Test captain of the English side. He was appointed by ECB’s Interim Chair and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) following the advice of ECB’s new Director of Cricket, Robert Key. Stokes’ first commitment would be the three Tests at home against New Zealand from June 2.
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After his appointment, Stokes told ECB, “I am honoured to be given a chance to lead the England Test team. It is a real privilege, and I’m excited about getting started this summer. I want to thank Joe for everything he has done for English Cricket and for always being a great ambassador for the sport worldwide. He has been a massive part of my development as a leader in the dressing room, and he will continue to be a key ally for me in this role.”
Meanwhile, Key said, “I had no hesitation in offering the role of Test captain to Ben. He epitomises the mentality and approach we want to take this team forward into the next era of red-ball cricket. I am delighted that he has accepted, and he is ready for the added responsibility and the honour. He thoroughly deserves the opportunity.”
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Stokes has just recovered from a prolonged injury spell, while his workload management has been a topic of debate among a few English cricket critics. However, Key feels that it is the right time for Stokes to take over the leadership duties of the red-ball department. He also stated that the decision would be made on what he needs to play, and for now, it is Test cricket.
“We don’t need to be planning six months for when Ben Stokes will play or not. We need to be on top of it all the time. That’s going to be the key. In Test cricket at the moment, we want to get our best side out on the park. That’s it. It’s a pretty simple game,” concluded Key to Sky Sports.
