England all-rounder Ben Stokes has said that he fully backs the Test captain Joe Root to continue as the skipper amid calls for his sacking after a rather forgettable run in the ongoing Ashes Test series in Australia. Stokes has said that England’s poor show so far should be shared by the entire team and not just the captain or coach, consisting of Root and head coach Chris Silverwood as well.
Notably, Joe Root’s captaincy has come under the scanner following England’s dismal showing in the Ashes. The tourists have lost the first three Tests as Australia are eyeing a series sweep after going 3-0 up. Moreover, Joe Root’s selection calls and on-field tactics have also been slammed as nothing worked for them.
The legends like Geoffrey Boycott and Ian Chappell have lashed out at Root amid England’s poor Ashes campaign but quite a few have opined that the root of their problems goes deeper than the captaincy only.
Meanwhile, Ben Stokes, who is being looked at as the ideal player to replace Root in captaincy, has said that he never wanted to be the captain of the senior team.
“Captaincy is more than about setting fields, picking the team, making decisions out in the middle. A captain is someone you play for. Joe Root is someone I always want to play for. Chris Silverwood is exactly the same. He’s a real players’ coach. He stands up for you as individuals and players as well,” Ben Stokes said, as quoted by The Guardian.
“He’s done some great things. Obviously, this series hasn’t gone too well. Not from a captaincy point of view but from a team and results point of view. Unfortunately, the captain and coach bear the scrutiny for that but there are 10 other guys out there in the field besides the captain. At the end of the day, the most important people’s opinions are those guys in the dressing room and have our thorough support,” he again shared.
While the fourth Test will begin on January 5 in Sydney
England will be looking to turn the table. On the other hand, Australia will try to win the remaining 2 Tests and win points for the Word Test Championship cycle as well.
“Would love to be part of the Test Championship final” – Nathan Lyon
Meanwhile, veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon has already hinted that Australia will want a 5-0 scoreline. The fifth and final Test, a day-night affair will take place in Hobart from January 14.
“There are no dead rubbers. Firstly, because it’s (the) Test championship, but another one, we want to go five-nil up,” Lyon said. “Obviously, the Ashes for me is the pinnacle, but I’d love to be part of the Test championship final, whether that’s at Lord’s or wherever it may be in the world… A lot of work to do to get there,” he added.
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