UPDATE: Ben Stokes has officially been handed the England Test captaincy, replacing long-time skipper and close friend Joe Root at the helm.
The 30-year-old was the hot favourite to be England’s next long-form skipper after Root’s resignation, which followed tough tours to Australia and the West Indies. His appointment was confirmed in an English Cricket Board (ECB) statement on Thursday evening AEST.
Stokes, who was born in New Zealand before moving to England at the age of 12, called the Test captaincy “a real privilege”.
READ MORE: Mercedes accused of hiding ugly Hamilton ‘truth’
READ MORE: Fake training session led to AFL’s greatest ambush
READ MORE: Real reason for Liverpool’s astonishing success
“I am honoured to be given the chance to lead the England Test team. This is a real privilege, and I’m excited about getting started this summer,” he said in the ECB statement.
“I want to thank Joe (Root) for everything he has done for English cricket and for always being a great ambassador for the sport all across the world. He has been a massive part of my development as a leader in the dressing room, and he will continue to be a key ally for me in this role.”
The captaincy continues a stunning arc of redemption for Stokes, who found himself in trouble after an off-field incident in 2018 which saw him charged with bringing the game into disrepute by the ECB.
He was handed an eight-match ban for his involvement in the incident, before returning to England’s side prior to the 2019 50-over World Cup, where he played a starring role in his side’s triumph.
“I had no hesitation in offering the role of Test captain to Ben,” the England men’s team’s managing director, Rob Key, said in the statement.
“He epitomises the mentality and approach we want to take this team forward into the next era of red-ball cricket. I am delighted that he has accepted, and he is ready for the added responsibility and the honour. He thoroughly deserves the opportunity.”
The all-rounder has already captained England in a Test match, having filled in when Root was on paternity leave in 2020. England lost that match to West Indies by four wickets.
His first match as the full-time skipper will be against New Zealand in June.
The Guardian reports Stokes supports a recall for fast bowling greats James Anderson and Stuart Broad after the pair were controversial omissions from the side that toured the Caribbean.
The position of coach remains up in the air following Chris Silverwood’s resignation, with Australia’s Simon Katich understood to be one of those in contention for the role.
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!