ENG vs WI | He leads the way in many respects: Joe Root hails Ben Stokes after win in Manchester
Captain Joe Root hailed his deputy Ben Stokes after England beat West Indies by 113 runs in Manchester to level series 1-1 with one match left. Root feels proud of his team on scoring 400 plus score for the third time in four games.
Stokes, who played his longest knock (176 in 356 balls) in the first innings, played a counter-attacking knock of unbeaten 78 off 57 balls, which helped England team to set 312-run target for Windies. Root acknowledged Stokes' value in the team and his ability to go through a range of gears.
"It was a brilliant week's cricket from the outset, making a 400 plus score for the third time in four games. We've starting to do that more consistently which is really pleasing. That's what we want from [Sibley], set that platform. He seems to get better and better the more he's playing, then when you've got guys like Ben who can go through a range of gears, it shows how valuable he is," said Root.
Root further claims that Stokes doesn't surprise him as leads the way in many respects. The England captain also heaped praise on veteran Stuart Broad and said he led the bowling attack brilliantly.
"Stokes doesn't surprise me - you watch how he goes about his business, he leads the way in many respects. We're seeing those results out on the field and it's great for the younger guys coming through to see that. You always expect that from Stuart, when he says something he tries to back it up. He's led the attack brilliantly this week, and we feel like he's got a lot of cricket ahead of him," the England captain added.
Root also talked about the selection dilemma in the team and said it will depend on how many players are fit and ready to play final Test
"You look how many guys have been fit and ready, it's the first time in a long time we've had some many options available to us. I can't see that getting any easier but that's a fantastic place to be in as a team," Root said.
