Ben Stokes said he was “proud” to be in a position where he might replace Joe Root as England skipper against the West Indies, even though he has not captained a side since he was a teenager.
Vice-captain Stokes could find himself leading out the team for next week’s first Test at Southampton — or later in the three-match series — should Root be absent attending the birth of his second child.
‘Huge honour’
But the powerful all-rounder said he would accept the “huge honour” if it came his way.
“Even if it’s only once you can still say ‘yeah, I’ve captained England’,” he told a conference call on Monday.
Stokes was restored to his position as Test vice-captain in July 2019, nearly a year after being found not guilty of affray following an incident outside a nightclub.
“I’m quite proud to say I’m in this situation through hard work and determination.
“I wanted to get better and it’s been no fluke.”
Not a priority
But Stokes, who last led a cricket team aged 16 for Durham Academy, insisted captaincy had never been on his list of priorities.
“I’ve never set a goal to want to be a captain,” explained the 29-year-old.
“Alastair Cook was always destined to be England captain after Andrew Strauss. Joe Root was always destined to be captain after Alastair Cook.
“If I’m being honest, I’m not one of those that people would necessarily associate [as] the next England captain.”
