LONDON: England’s world cup winning all-rounder Ben Stokes has agreed to captain the Test side after his meeting with the new director of England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) – Rob Key, a local newspaper ‘The Telegraph’ reported.

As per the English newspaper, The Telegraph, the all-rounder Stokes has agreed to captain England in Tests, following his face to face meeting with Key. The 30-years-old also wants the veteran pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad to make their comeback into the side.

“Ben Stokes has agreed to be England’s next Test captain after meeting with new director of cricket Rob Key on Tuesday and wants to recall James Anderson and Stuart Broad,” The Telegraph wrote.

“The returns for Anderson and Broad were part of their discussions with Stokes keen for them to play a full role again this summer after they were left out of the West Indies tour,” the report added.

 

Furthermore, The Telegraph also claimed that the newly appointed Key, who is yet to make his first press conference will make the announcement on Thursday at Lord’s during his first media interaction after taking the position of ECB Director.

“Key is due to hold his first press conference on Thursday at Lord’s and could then announce Stokes’s widely anticipated appointment. He is just working through the formal process of appointing a captain,” The Telegraph.

It is pertinent to mention here that former English cricketers including Michael Vaughan, Michael Atherton, and others have also suggested Stokes as the new Test captain after Joe Root opted to step down earlier this month.

Furthermore, Stokes had previously said that he would turn down the offer to captain the side if his friend Joe Root gets sacked. But, with Root, resigning from the position on his own, he became available to accept the role.

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