Former England skipper Nasser Hussain has compared Ben Stokes’ leadership abilities with Virat Kohli, saying the all-rounder will turn out to be an “excellent captain” when he dons the hat in Joe Root’s absence during the first Test against the West Indies in Southampton, starting July 8.
England’s World Cup hero Stokes was on last Tuesday named captain for the opening Test against the West Indies in place of Root, who has taken leave to be with his wife for the birth of their second child.
England will take on the West Indies in a three-match Test in a “bio-secure environment”, which will mark the resumption of of international cricket amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Generally, what Ben (Stokes) does is a bit like Virat (Kohli). Everything he does, he does it at 100 mile an hour. So, I think he will be an excellent captain, although he’s only a stand-in captain,” Hussain, a respected voice in world cricket, said on Star Sports show Cricket Connected.
“Joe Root is off with that baby, his second child. I think as a stand-in captain, I am absolutely behind it, absolutely great choice, very loyal as well to Joe Root. He won’t have any kind of grandeur thinking that this is my job for life,” added Hussain, who played 96 Tests for England.
However, the 52-year-old right-handed batsman was not in favour of handing Stokes full time captaincy at the moment, saying his platter is already full.
“But as a long-term thing, an all-rounder with so much on his plate, plays three formats, IPL possibly coming up, I think there’s too much on his shoulders, but never write-off Ben Stokes,” he said.
“He could make for an exceptional captain, but I am worried a little bit about his workload in the future if he does it full time,” Hussain signed off.
