Ben Stokes has thrown his full support behind Joe Root in light of another unsuccessful Ashes campaign headed by the embattled skipper.
As vice-captain, Stokes is the obvious choice to replace Root should the ECB decide it is time to enact a change.
However, the allrounder has backed Root’s leadership, saying he has no aspiration to replace him in the top job.
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“I’ve never really had an ambition to be a captain,” he said.
“A captain is someone you want to go out and play for. Joe Root is someone I always want to play for.
“It’s totally Joe’s decision. He shouldn’t be forced into doing it. I’m sure Cooky (previous captain Alastair Cook) felt the same way. He did it for so long and when he knew his time was up.
“Those discussions haven’t entered anywhere near Joe yet.
“I don’t sense that at all with Joe. The most important people’s opinions are those guys in the dressing room and they’ve got our thorough support.
“He’s brought this team a long way. He’s done some great things. Obviously, this series hasn’t gone too well – not from a captaincy point of view, but from a team and results point of view.”
After four-and-a-half years as captain, Root will surpass Alastair Cook as England’s longest-serving Test captain when he takes to the SCG this week for the fourth Test match.
Cricket legend Ian Chappell has previously slammed Root’s captaincy in the wake of England’s dismal performances, adding to their disastrous Ashes campaign record on Australian soil.
Chappell called for Stokes to take over if a change was made.
“If you look through that team list, Ben Stokes is the only name that comes up as an option if you’re going to drop Joe Root,” Chappell told Wide World of Sports’ Outside The Rope last month.
“There are certain players that you shouldn’t make captain.
“It’s going to weigh them down. Alastair Cook wasn’t a captain in my book, and it weighed him down. You’ve got to get guys who are buoyed by the job.
“Pat Cummins to me is going to be buoyed by the job, he looks forward to it.
“I don’t think Joe likes the job, but I think he likes the rewards that come with being England captain. But you go through that list, there’s only one name you can come up with.
“If Ben Stokes says, ‘Mate, I don’t want to know about it,’ well where do you go from there? Send up a prayer.”
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