Jos Buttler would be my choice of England captain, states Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Pietersen has stated that he does not want to see more pressure being piled on Ben Stokes and added that Jos Buttler, instead, would be his choice of captain. Stokes is all set to skipper England for the first time next month, versus the Windies, with Root slated to miss the first Test.
From single-handedly driving England over the line in the final of the World Cup to ravaging the Aussies in the Ashes at Headingley to heroically bowling his side to victory over South Africa in Cape Town, Ben Stokes has been at the forefront of every major English accomplishment over the course of the last 12 months, with the all-rounder leading from the front on every occasion.
And with skipper Joe Root set to miss the first Test versus the Windies next month due to the birth of his child, Stokes is all set to lead England for the first time, but not a big fan of the move is former English skipper Kevin Pietersen.
According to Pietersen, Stokes already has plenty on his plate to worry about and is of the opinion that the all-rounder will be better off without added pressure on his shoulders. Pietersen, instead, has batted for Jos Buttler to be appointed the skipper.
"Do I want to see Ben Stokes change from who he is and the current player he is? Probably not. Jos Buttler would be my guy," Pietersen told Talksport, reported TOI.
"The entertainers and the guys that have to carry the mantle in the team sometimes aren't the best captains and sometimes struggle with the extra added pressure."
Pietersen, who captained England in three Tests in 2008, labelled his captaincy ‘rubbish’ and attested that he hated leading the side. The 39-year-old revealed that he never was able to command the respect of the dressing room.
"I struggled with it, I absolutely hated it and I was rubbish. You have to change and I couldn't command the respect of the dressing room.”
England are slated to play the first of three Tests versus the Windies on July 8 in a bio-secure environment at the Ageas Bowl.