ENG vs WI | Our responsibility not to mess up the rules, asserts Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes, who will be leading England out for the first time, has said that both sides are responsible for following the rules and regulations that have been enacted due to the pandemic. He also revealed that Joe Root had left him a 'Do it your way' message ahead of his first Test as captain.
With the entire world coming to a standstill due to the Coronavirus, sports took a hit as well. Not only was the IPL delayed indefinitely but it also cast a huge shadow on the ICC T20 World Cup that was scheduled for October 2020. With other sports returning to action, cricket also took its place on the list, be it after most other events. With the first Test between England and Windies, in a three match series, starting tomorrow, there have been a lot of restrictions, including an enforced lockdown, that have been put in place to ensure the safety of the players.
Ben Stokes, who will be handed the reigns of the team in the absence of Joe Root, has reiterated the responsibility that has been placed on the shoulders of two teams and urged the players not to “mess it up”.
"There are obviously a lot of rules and regulations that have been put in place for this to happen. I feel as though a lot of respect has been shown from both sides to make sure this works. Because if you get one thing wrong, it might blow this whole 'get sport back on to the radar of people' further back. We'll be doing everything we can to make sure we don't mess it up," Stokes said, reported AFP.
While the return of cricket from an enforced break is a welcome one, for Stokes, it is even bigger due to the additional responsibility that has been handed to him. Even though Root, who will miss the first Test for paternal duties, will not be a part of the side, Stokes said that he would have no hesitation in reaching out to the skipper for advice during the game. Stokes also revealed how Root had left him a message ahead of his captaincy debut.
"The best message that I have received was when I got my photos done yesterday (Monday) in the blazer. Rooty just left a message on the hanger which said 'Do it your way'," Stokes exclaimed.
"Just because Joe is not here doesn't mean I am not going to use him. With Joe and his personal situation, it's been about letting him deal with that. I haven't been on him too much but I am sure when the Test match starts, I know for a fact he will be at home watching and I know that his phone will always be available for me to get in contact with him if I need to."
With the Black Lives Matter movement gaining traction in England as well, with English football leading the way, England, and the Windies, will have the Black Lives Matter logo imprinted on their jerseys to show their support.
"We aren’t in any way shape or form showing support towards any political matters on the movement. We are all about equality through society and sport," Stokes explained.