England vs West Indies: 'Talisman' Ben Stokes receives coach Chris Silverwood's backing ahead of captaincy debut
England coach Chris Silverwood believes star all-rounder Ben Stokes will make for a great leader when he replaces Joe Root as captain for the first Test against the West Indies starting on 8 July. England's World Cup hero Ben Stokes was on Tuesday named captain for the opening Test against West Indies in place of Root, who has taken leave to be with his wife for the birth of their second child. Having never led a side in first-class cricket, star all-rounder Stokes will be captaining the national team for the first time in his career when England and West Indies lock horns in the opening Test of the three-match series at the Ageas Bowl. "I think he will do a great job. He is a talisman, isn't he? He leads from the front anyway. He is conscious of the people around him as well so I think he will do a great job in Joe Root's absence," Silverwood was quoted as saying by The Guardian . "We know he has got an aggressive nature but equally there is a good cric
