Kevin Pietersen
Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen reckons that Ben Stokes should not be handed over the responsibility of leading the England team if Joe Root misses the Test series opener against West Indies in July.
Root is expected to miss the opener as his wife is due to give birth to their second child, but the red-ball skipper has backed Stokes to lead the side in his absence against Jason Holder's men. But Pietersen stands contrary to Root's opinion.
The three-time Ashes winner drew experience from his short captaincy stint in 2008 and hence reckons that Jos Buttler would be a better option.
"Do I want to see Ben Stokes change from who he is and the current player he is? Probably not, Jos Buttler would be my guy," Pietersen told talkSPORT.
"The entertainers and the guys that have to carry the mantle in the team sometimes aren't the best captains and sometimes struggle with the extra added pressure.
"As a player you are looked at completely differently until that phone call comes and you are announced as the Test captain.
"Responsibilities change, communication changes, the way in which you carry yourself in the dressing room changes.
"I struggled with it, I absolutely hated it and I was rubbish. You have to change and I couldn't command the respect of the dressing room, you say something and it is frowned upon, it is a completely different story."
The three-Test series will begin from July 8 onwards in Southampton and all the matches will be played behind closed doors.
