Ben Stokes "Didn't Listen To Me When I Was Captain": Joe Root's Big Admission
Ben Stokes didn't care much about 'workload' as he bowled a whopping 44 overs in the Lord's Test.
- Ben Stokes led England to victory against India in the Lord's Test with an all-round performance
- As per Joe Root, the England skipper doesn't listen to advice, especially on workload management
- Root said that Stokes didn't listen to him even when he was the skipper
As Ben Stokes' all-round show earned England an important victory against India in the Lord's Test, questions arose about his workload. Stokes isn't just an all-rounder who looks to contribute the maximum possible with the bat and the ball, but also has the responsibility of leading the team as its skipper. Despite being burdened with so many responsibilities, Stokes managed to get the best out of himself on most occasions, be it as a batter, bowler, or a leader. When England batter Joe Root was asked about managing Stokes' workload, he said that the all-rounder doesn't listen to anyone, he didn't even listen to him when he was the skipper.
"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!
Stokes bowled a total of 44 overs in the Lord's Test, the most for any English bowler in the match. The figure is incredibly high, not just for an all-rounder, but also for a pacer. Stokes' work ethic even made many question why Team India remains keen on protecting Bumrah's workload when Stokes is able to do more, being an all-rounder.
Root is just thankful for the manner in which Stokes has managed to carry on with all the responsibilities on his shoulders.
"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.
India Cricket Team
England Cricket Team
Ben Stokes
Joe Root