Ben Stokes will do a great job in Joe Root's absence: Coach Chris Silverwood

LONDON: England coach Chris Silverwood feels star all-rounder Ben Stokes will do a good job as a leader when he replaces Joe Root as captain for the first Test against the West Indies starting on July 8.

England's World Cup and Ashes hero Ben Stokes was on Tuesday named captain for the opening Test against West Indies. Root will not be playing in the first Test as he will be with his wife for the birth of their second child.

"I think he will do a great job. He is a talisman, isn't he? He leads from the front anyway. He is conscious of the people around him as well so I think he will do a great job in Joe Root's absence," Silverwood was quoted as saying by 'The Guardian' newspaper.

Asked how Stokes will go about his business Silverwood said: "We will find out won't we? We know he has got an aggressive nature but equally there is a good cricket brain in there as well. I think he will be quite vocal about what moves he is making out there.

"I'm looking forward to working with him from a coaching point of view. I will extend him the same courtesies I do to Rooty. He will have a lot of say in what is going on and he will play a big part in giving his opinions across selection as well." Silverwood is not worried about Stokes' lack of experience as captain.

"He's been Rooty's right-hand man for a while now. I know Rooty does turn to him a lot. He's been involved in a lot of talks we have behind the scenes."

England's first Test against West Indies will start on July 8 in Southampton. This is the first cricket series to be played since the sport went into a freeze mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. (IANS)

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