Root: You get three players with Stokes

England skipper Joe Root welcomed the return to the Test squad of allrounder Ben Stokes ahead of the first Test against New Zealand.
Root feels that Stokes’ versatility and ability in all three facets of the game make him a player who would improve any team.
The skipper told Sky Sports: “You get three players with Ben, and certainly on his day probably the best three players within the side all in one.
“It is a huge boost to have him coming back into the team. We have to be quite careful and make sure he is absolutely ready and be quite flexible with how we use him, especially in the first Test.
“He’s very focused on what he needs to do. Credit to him, he’s been able to manage that really well.”
ALSO READ: Williamson: Taylor good to go for first Test
Root is desperate for England to put a positive tint to an otherwise disappointing winter downunder having lost the Ashes 4-0.
He added: “It has been a tough winter until now, but we have two Test matches to put a different stamp on it and change our momentum.
“It is a big series for us coming from a big defeat like the Ashes, so we need to make sure we put that right and come away with some success overseas – because it’s not happened for a while.”
England and New Zealand meet in the first of two Tests in Auckland starting on Thursday.
Latest
-
News
Ben Stokes to miss rest of Indian Premier League with broken finger
England’s next assignment is seven weeks away.
-
News
ECB explores dropping ‘wickets’ for ‘outs’ in inaugural The Hundred edition
Discussions are ongoing about the proposal for the 100-ball competition featuring eight newly-created teams.
-
News
Jofra Archer cleared to return to light training but IPL involvement unclear
The England paceman had surgery remove a fragment of glass from his finger last month.
-
News
Kumar, Lee named ICC Players of the Month for March
The winners of the ICC Player of the Month Awards for March are India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar and South Africa’s Lizelle Lee.
-
News
We must keep women’s Test cricket alive, says England captain Heather Knight
Knight’s team will take on India in a four-day clash in Bristol in June.
-
News
Dom Bess determined to prove England worth after India struggles
Bess says he knows what he has ‘got to do now to have a successful international career’.
-
News
Jake Libby earns draw as Somerset, Hampshire and Gloucestershire open with wins
Worcestershire opener Libby made the second-longest Championship innings ever and was on the field for every ball of the match.
-
News
Jofra Archer to find out whether he could feature in IPL next week
Archer has already been ruled out of the initial stages of the tournament after undergoing surgery to remove glass from his finger last month.
-
News
Stuart Broad would support social media boycott as racist abuse continues online
Some football teams and players have taken a break from social media.