New England Test captain Ben Stokes hasn’t a very convincing start as a captain as his decision to bat first after winning the toss in the international cricket return has backfired them in the first innings of the Southampton Test. However, one of the senior English pacer Stuart Broad, who has been not selected in the playing XI of the ongoing Test, has strongly supported the decision of the new Test captain.
International cricket has finally returned after around four months’ stoppage with the Southampton Test between England and West Indies, which began on last Wednesday (8th July). England’s regular Test captain Joe Root is missing the ongoing Test due to the birth of his second child.
In the absence of regular Test captain, vice-captain Ben Stokes has been promoted for the captaincy role in the Southampton Test. All-rounder Stokes, who hadn’t a previous captaincy experience, becomes the 81st English Test captain during the ongoing Southampton Test.
On day one of this Test match, which was mostly interrupted due to the rain and bad light, Stokes decided to bat first after winning the toss. However, while the English team was battling on 35/1 (in 17.4 overs) at the stumps on day one, they were bundled out for 204 runs on the second day of this Test.
100% the right decision at the toss: Stuart Broad
On day two of this Test, Stuart Broad first encouraged the English batsmen after claiming that it was the tremendous English bowling condition.
He tweeted, “View from the hospitality tent (my hotel balcony.) Lads battling hard in tremendous English bowling conditions. Cricket bat and ball.”
Soon after that, Broad showed his full support on the first batting decision by the new English Test captain Stokes. The 34-year-old also pointed out the reason why he was supporting this decision.
Broad posted, “100% the right decision at the toss. You can’t tell what the clouds will be doing at lunchtime day 2 at the toss can you? & for everyone watching on tv we’ve already seen variable bounce and a lot of it.”
100% the right decision at the toss. You can’t tell what the clouds will be doing at lunchtime day 2 at the toss can you? & for everyone watching on tv we’ve already seen variable bounce and a lot of it.
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) July 9, 2020
Stuart Broad is missing out the ongoing Southampton Test, which is his first home Test missing in last eight years.