Ben Stokes reveals his major concern about Joe Root-Stephen Fleming era in English cricket
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Ben Stokes reveals his major concern about Joe Root-Stephen Fleming era in English cricket originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Stephen Fleming named England Test head coach as Joe Root returns as captain.
- Ben Stokes voices concern for Root's wellbeing, not performance, in the role.
- Fleming to take charge of the national team from the South Africa trip in December.
Ben Stokes shares his real worry as Joe Root and Stephen Fleming take charge of England
England have brought in Stephen Fleming as their new Test head coach following Brendon McCullum's departure from the role last month, and the appointment coincides with Joe Root stepping back into the captaincy, four years after he first stepped down, succeeding Ben Stokes in the process.
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This marks Root's return to leadership after previously working under two full-time head coaches during his initial five-year captaincy stint between 2017 and 2022, Trevor Bayliss and Chris Silverwood.
Paul Collingwood took interim charge for his final series in the role, against West Indies in early 2022, and Root also spent one Test working alongside Brendon McCullum at The Oval last month while Stokes was unavailable.
MORE: Fleming coaching career highlights: Record as head coach listed
Root holds the distinction of having captained England in more Test matches than any other player in the format's history, with a record showing 27 wins, 27 losses, and 11 draws across his time in charge.
He even admitted that Fleming's arrival played a significant part in his decision to accept the captaincy again, as he remains enthusiastic about how Fleming views the game, where he sees England currently standing as a team, and the work required to reach their goals.
MORE: Joe Root set for England Test captaincy return against Pakistan
Stokes shares his honest concern for his successor, Root
Stokes expressed nothing but warmth towards Root, as he wished him great success and predicted he'd enjoy working alongside Fleming, someone Stokes has worked with previously and holds in high regard.
However, Stokes was candid about one specific worry, as he warned his teammate that his only concern wasn't about results or performance, but about Root himself.
"I love Rooty. I wish him nothing but success. I hope he goes on and achieves amazing things in his role as captain. And I think, you know, he's gonna... he's gonna really enjoy it with Flem. He's a great man; I've worked with Flem before," he began.
"But I told Joe, I said, 'My only worry is just... is you.' And that's all I really care about now with Rooty is... just because I've seen what he went through and how much he put himself through. For someone, he's just always put the team first, like he always comes second.
"And that's just my only concern with it: obviously knowing what he went through last time he was in charge of the team, 'cause I don't want to see that ever happen again, 'cause I care for Joe a lot. But I wish him all the success in the world. You know, I'm sure he's going to do great, so I'm looking forward to seeing what the team does going forward."
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Stokes' concern reveals something cricket often overlooks
What stands out most in Stokes' comments isn't doubt about Root's cricketing ability; it's concern for his wellbeing. That distinction matters.
Captaincy in international cricket, especially in the demanding Test format, often gets discussed purely in terms of tactics, results, and pressure to win, while the personal toll it takes on individuals rarely gets the same attention.
Root's first stint as captain was widely seen as selfless to a fault, someone who consistently prioritised the team's needs over his own form and wellbeing, sometimes at real personal cost.
Stokes clearly witnessed this up close, and his willingness to voice that concern publicly, rather than simply offering routine well-wishes, says a lot about the bond between the two players.
If England genuinely want Root to thrive this time around, they must ensure proper support systems exist around him. Not just tactical backing from Fleming, but also support from those around him, seems just as important as anything happening on the field.
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