Joe Root Compares 'Captain' Ben Stokes With Virat Kohli

England captain Joe Root has compared his deputy Ben Stokes with India captain Virat Kohli as the allrounder gets ready to lead the side in the upcoming series against West Indies. Joe Root is set to miss a good part of the series in order to be with his pregnant wife.

In his absence, Ben Stokes will have the responsibility of leading the Test side. Historically, England allrounders have struggled with captaincy. Legendary players like Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff failed to make an impression as the captain. However, Joe Root is confident the responsibility of captaincy will bring the best out of Ben Stokes.

“You know Virat (Kohli) goes out there and performs and expects everyone to go and do the same within the same team and I imagine that’s how Ben will go about his business,” Joe Root said in a chat show on Sony Ten’s ‘Pit Stop’.

Earlier this month, Ben Stokes had spoken about captaincy. The star allrounder had said he is the ‘Scottie Pippen to Joe’s Michael Jordan,’ which means that even though the England allrounder will have his own way of leading the team, he will ensure Root’s absence is not felt.

“I think Ben is better… Ben would make a better ‘Michael Jordan’ than me. He (Stokes) has a great quality, leads from the front, just as Michael Jordan did you know,” Joe Root said.

“He’s already a big leader in the team as the vice-captain…There’s a huge amount of respect for him. He has obviously accomplished so much within the game and within Test cricket that he’s more than well enough equipped to do a really good job,” he added.

The much-awaited three-match series gets underway on July 8 in Southampton. The series will mark the resumption of international cricket after the pandemic halted action all around the world.

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