Star England batter Joe Root has spoken about Ben Stokes’ ferocious competitiveness, saying that he is someone who isn’t afraid to face tough situations. Root, who captained the Test team when Stokes wasn’t available, acknowledged his successor’s eagerness to take on responsibility and make a difference to the team’s fortunes.

Celebrated as one of England’s most reliable match-winners, Stokes has delivered memorable performances across formats, including key contributions to both the ODI and T20 World Cup final wins. His contribution in the Test format has been equally significant, helping design a string of spectacular wins. With Brendon McCullum as head coach and Stokes now leading from the front, England’s red-ball red-ball team has has assumed a fearless, attacking persona under their watch.

In an honest conversation, Root conceded that during his tenure as captain, Stokes would frequently disregard guidance on workload management. Nevertheless, he came to the defense of his former deputy, stating that Stokes understands his own physical limitations and knows how to take care of himself on the pitch.

“You can try, but it doesn’t make any difference. I tried for five years,” Root said.

“I mentioned it but he doesn’t always listen to me. He didn’t listen to me when I was captain!

“That’s his call now. It was an incredible effort to be able to do that, but that’s just how he’s built, I guess. He’s just desperate to be the man and make things happen. It’s a great sign for us moving forward, it really is, because that’s back to his best. He’s got that mentality and that desire to win games and we’re lucky to have him as our leader,” he added.

“I was just panicking that he wasn’t going to make it through the game after a couple of bad injuries but he clearly trusts his body now,” he said.

“He knows what he’s doing and he’s got a good handle on where he’s at physically,” he added.