The English Test captain seems under a lot of stress owing to a not-so-pleasant record under his name. After losing the game poorly to the West Indies, Joe Root now has 26 losses under him and definitely, as a leader, this is not something you would look forward to. The England team is making a mockery of itself on the global level and there is external pressure for resignation on Root. If or not he decides to quit or if the ECB will find a new replacement, only time will tell. However, here are 4 potential players who can be a possible replacement for Joe Root as England’s Test captain.
4 potential replacements for Joe Root as England’s Test captain
1. Ben Stokes
This should be a no-brainer decision for ECB. Currently, if there is anyone close to taking on the role of England’s test captain it is Ben Stokes. Stokes had a career-defining series in the 2019 Ashes, excelling in both parts of the game. With 441 runs in five matches, he returned as England’s leading run-scorer and helped the team tie the series at Headingley. He led England for the first time in an ODI series against Pakistan on home soil in 2021. The team did well to win the series 2-1, with the all-rounder receiving praise for expertly leading the inexperienced side. Even though Stokes has not been at his best since returning from injury, he still fits the shoes well among the current England squad due to his contributions to the game.
2. Stuart Broad
Though the chances of a fast bowler becoming a captain are slim, we can’t rule out Stuart Broad from the list of contenders. Even though he alongside Anderson was dropped from the series, hopefully, it’s just a temporary drop and he’ll come back soon. When the captaincy has come up in conversation, Broad has always been on the fringe. He was one of the few people questioned when the captaincy was last up for grabs, and he might be in the mix again if Root is fired.
Broad, who has been a member of the squad since 2007, brings a wealth of experience to the post, and no one can disagree that he is a fantastic bowler with 537 wickets to his name. The 35-year-old medium-pacer may not be a long-term solution, but given the team’s current state, he may be able to make a difference.
3. Jonny Bairstow
The keeper-batsman is in the race to take over the captaincy and why not? Even in the current series when other batsmen were struggling with the bat, he did manage to make a century and this isn’t the first time he has stood up for the team in need. Bairstow has frequently found himself competing for a spot in the team. For example, the ascent of Ollie Pope has come at the expense of Jos Buttler or Jonny Bairstow’s spot in the England camp, but the latter’s recent form has proved a lifeline for England.
In the recent Ashes catastrophe, he scored England’s sole century. He followed that up with a fantastic century in England’s first match against the West Indies. It helped them clinch a draw. His lack of leadership experience on the domestic and international circuit may deter selectors from naming him captain of the England Test team. However, if Stokes declines to take up the captaincy, Bairstow might be a possibility for them to consider.
4. Jos Buttler
Well, currently it seems like a distant dream for Buttler to even make a place in the test team. But you never know what can happen. Last year, he put up an average performance in the home Test series against India. His contributions in the 2021-22 Ashes were also poor. This prompted the selectors to leave him out of the West Indies series in 2022 and to give Ben Foakes, who had a strong show in the County Championships, a chance. Jos Buttler has captained the England ODI team in eight matches, winning five of them. He is also the vice-captain of the T20I team. However, only and only under extreme circumstances will the ECB contemplate this.
