Ashes 2017-18: Stuart Broad Feels Vice Captaincy Role Not Important In Cricket
Nov 7, 2017 at 3:16 PM
The England cricket team is currently preparing for the upcoming Ashes series to begin on 23rd November at Gabba in Brisbane. However, they are yet to announce Joe Root’s deputy as Ben Stokes is suspended for causing actual bodily harms to a 27-year-old man outside a bar after England’s win against West Indies in Bristol. Stokes was arrested by the police next day but was released and is still under investigation for the incidence.
Stuart Broad who has led the England team in T20 format is one of the candidates for the role but he feels having a vice-captain doesn’t matter and is not important for the game. The England team has some experienced players this time on their tour Down Under, and this is Joe Root’s first Ashes in Australia as a captain.
Broad said:
“I don’t see the vice-captaincy as particularly important in cricket really. You have an amount of senior players who always have an input and you want to open everything to the whole group. “In cricket, the vice-captain literally takes over if the captain runs off the field and needs the toilet or something. The captain could run off and just say someone take over for an over.
“With the senior players we’ve got, everyone is having input into tactics and how we’re going. We’re always talking on the field so I don’t think it’s a particularly important role and in the group, it’s not even been talked about.”
Ben Stokes absence from the team has been prolonged, and no word from the official has caused curiosity amongst the fans as well as the English players. Others in the contention of being handed the role are Alastair Cook and James Anderson. James Anderson said that he would not turn down the chance to be the vice-captain if he is offered the role.
England coach Trevor Bayliss did not name the replacement but gave a hint on who could be Root’s deputy:
“There’s probably three or four guys in the team who could do it. 3 older guys who have plenty of experience and play that role anyway as leaders of the team”.