ENG vs WI | Joe Root to take paternity leave as Ben Stokes to lead in first Test

Cricket world got excited in unison when the ECB announced the proposed dates for the Windies Test series, that will mark the return of Test cricket in the time of Coronavirus epidemic. The Ageas Bowl in Southampton and Manchester's Old Trafford will host the three Tests against West Indies subject to UK government clearance with proper quarantine and biosecurity having the say. 

The timing of it, however, had a multi-fold bearing on England skipper Joe Root, as he and his wife Carrie Root are expecting the birth of his second child at the start of July. After Root stated that he would be with his wife come what may, it is clear that vice-captain Ben Stokes would, therefore, lead England for the first time.

Stokes has never captained in any level of senior representational cricket, with his three-match captaincy experience coming in for Durham under-17s and Durham's academy in which his team won one, lost one, drawn one. 

"I think if Ben was captain he would be fantastic. One of his great qualities as vice-captain and as a leader is he sets the example, the way he goes about his training, how he wants to bowl in difficult circumstances, the way he stands up in different scenarios with the bat,” Root attested to Stokes’ abilities.  

"He drags people with him and gets the best out of the players around him. I think that's a great quality to have as a leader and something he can take into captaincy if he was to get the opportunity. I could see him doing a very good job."