Atherton: Stokes can mould Test team until coach appointed

Ben Stokes will address the media for the first time as England's new Test captain on Tuesday, with Michael Atherton excited at the prospect of the talismanic all-rounder moulding the team in his image.

Atherton, who captained England 51 times between 1993 and 1998, described Stokes as "the obvious choice" to succeed Joe Root in the role following his appointment last Thursday.

Stokes' first game in charge will be against New Zealand at Lord's from June 2, the first game in a three-Test series against the Black Caps.

Rob Key, the new managing director of England men's cricket, said he is "optimistic" a new head coach will also be in place ahead of first Test of the summer, but Atherton does not believe that is essential.

"Ben Stokes will be his own man; he has got a chance to shape that team now and take it in a different direction," Atherton told Sky Sports News.

"There may not be a coach in place in time. These things go through a process; I think May 6 is when job applications close and June 2 is the first Test match. That's quite tight.

"That's not a bad thing in my view. I don't think since Sir Andrew Strauss that an England captain has really grabbed hold of a dressing room."

Atherton pointed to Stokes' reintegration into the Test side in 2015 after a spell out due to form and fitness, which saw him thrive in the first two Tests of the summer against New Zealand under interim coach Paul Farbrace.

The appointment of Trevor Bayliss was announced midway through that drawn series, one in which Stokes smashed the fastest-ever Test century at Lord's, from 85 balls - as well as a first-innings 92 - and claimed three wickets in a match-winning performance in the first Test.

Atherton added: "If there is no coach in there,