Ben Stokes will lead the English side in the first Test against West Indies in the absence of Joe Root.
Former Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar has said that Ben Stokes is someone who is going to lead "from the front" as the captain of the side. Stokes will lead England in the first Test against West Indies in the absence of Joe Root.
Tendulkar said that Stokes is "mentally strong," which helps him keep controlled aggression when he is on the field.
Joe Root left the bio-secure bubble in Southampton for Sheffield to be with his wife, who is expecting their second child.
"First of all I would like to wish all the best to Joe Root because that's a big moment in this family. I wish him all the best," Tendulkar said during a conversation with West Indies legend Brian Lara for 100MB.
"For Ben Stokes from what he has been through in the recent past to where he is today, it is a total transformation and it can happen only to someone who is mentally strong.
"When I first looked at him a few years ago, I could see his body language, it was so positive and vibrant and that energy is infectious. I felt that he was one of those players where in time to come you look back and say Ben stokes, Andrew Flintoff, Ian Botham -- these are the leading all-rounders who played for England," he added. (ALSO READ: Ganguly names five players from current Indian Test team he would've loved to captain)
Talking further about Stokes, Tendulkar said that the English all-rounder would do whatever it takes to see his side through the line.
"He (Stokes) is someone who is going to lead from the front, we have seen that on a number of occasions," said Tendulkar.
"He is aggressive, positive and when he has to be slightly defensive, he is prepared to do that for the team.
"I always feel controlled aggression produces results and so far whatever I have seen, the aggression has been there but it is controlled. So this is what I think of Ben Stokes," the former Indian batsman added.
"I'm going to be very open to opinions from other people and just because Joe isn't here, that doesn't mean I'm not going to use him," Stokes said on the eve of the Test match.
