'My only worry is...': Ben Stokes reveals his only concern over Joe Root's return as England Test captain

In a series of heartwarming moments, England all-rounder Ben Stokes has revealed that he was really happy to see Joe Root getting reappointed as the men's Test skipper, he also had one major concern. Stokes revealed that following the ECB reappointed Root to captain the Test team, he immediately got in touch with his teammate and told him, "My only worry is you," expressing concern regarding the pressures that comes with the leadership duty.

Ben Stokes reflects on Joe Root's appointment as Test captain

During his first stint as England's Test skipper between 2017 and 2022, Root endured a tough period as the team's performances often experienced consistency issues. The added responsibility also affected his batting, with several promising half-centuries going unconverted into centuries.

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After quitting the captaincy role, Root admitted that he felt like a zombie, saying he often experienced the pressure of the job back home and it took a toll on his family life.

In a recent episode of For The Love Of Cricket podcast with Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler, Stokes said that he shares a close bond with Root and wishes him all the success as captain of the England Test team. The star all-rounder also claimed that he Root will have a great time working with Stephen Fleming, who is the new head coach of the Test side.

Ben Stokes' only concern for Joe Root

However, Stokes expressed one concern that Root might not prioritize himself, as he is a very selfless person and always looks to help the team first instead of looking at his needs. Stokes said he doesn't want to see Root facing the same situation like his previous stint as the red-ball captain.

"He just always put the team first; he always came second. That is just my only concern with it: knowing what he went through last time he was in charge of the team because I don’t want to see that ever happen again because I care for Joe a lot. But I wish him all the success in the world. I’m sure he’s going to do great so I’m looking forward to seeing what the team does going forward," said Stokes.