"I’ll be right with you every step of the way" - Joe Root pens emotional note for new England skipper Ben Stokes

Celebrated all-rounder Ben Stokes has been appointed England's Test captain on Thursday, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed. The position was vacant after Joe Root relinquished the duties earlier this month.

Stokes succeeds Root in becoming England's 81st captain. The departing captain shared a heartfelt post, saying that he will be with Ben Stokes at every step of this journey.

Taking to Twitter, the 31-year-old wrote:

"Always got each other’s backs. Congratulations mate, I’ll be right with you every step of the way."

Root has captained England in 64 Tests between 2017 and 2022, winning 27 of those and losing on 26 occasions. He is one of the most successful English captains, having led the country for the most number of games.

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"He will continue to be a key ally for me in this role" - Ben Stokes on Joe Root

The Durham all-rounder is elated with the new responsibility and highlighted the role Root has played in shaping his leadership career while at the helm. Speaking in an ECB release, Ben Stokes stated:

“I am honoured to be given the chance to lead the England Test team. This is a real privilege, and I’m excited about getting started this summer."

He added:

“I want to thank Joe (Root) for everything he has done for English Cricket and for always being a great ambassador for the sport all across the world. He has been a massive part of my development as a leader in the dressing room, and he will continue to be a key ally for me in this role.”

Meanwhile, Stokes has an uphill task at hand. England have won just one of their last 17 Tests, going five series without a victory. They are currently bottom of the 2021-23 World Test Championship.

He has captained his country only once when England lost to West Indies while Joe Root was on paternity leave in 2020. His first assignment as full-time England captain will be against New Zealand when they host the Kiwis for a three-match series, starting June 2.