Ben Stokes is obvious choice to lead England Test team: Former captains

Stokes has a "smart cricket brain" and is the "obvious" choice to take over as England Test captain following the exit of Joe Root, according to former captains Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain. Root on Friday stepped down from captaincy, ending his five-year tenure after facing criticism following England's 0-4 Ashes defeat against Australia and 0-1 series loss to West Indies.

Read AlsoJoe Root resigns as England Test captain: ECB

Root's decision comes after the 1-0 Test series defeat to West Indies last month, and the 4-0 Ashes loss to Australia. "After returning from the Caribbean tour and having time to reflect, I have decided to step down as England men's Test captain," Root said.

"I don't see anyone else who could take the position and be guaranteed of their place in the side," Vaughan told the BBC. "In Ben Stokes, you have clearly got someone who has got a smart cricket brain, he's going to give it everything, he is certainly going to have the respect of the players around him." Hussain, who led England from 1999-2003, also backed Stokes to take over as Test captain. "For me the obvious candidate is Ben Stokes. (He) Stokes has done some phenomenal things as a cricketer and has a very smart cricket brain. He showed that in World Cup final, he showed that at Headingley...He showed that when he's taken over occasionally from Joe Root," Hussain was quoted as saying in skysports.com. "People say, 'Oh, Ben Stokes', do you know what happened to Flintoff and Botham? Ben Stokes is not Flintoff and he's not Botham, don't judge him by how other people have done." Stokes had taken a break from cricket last year to focus on mental well-being and Hussain feels it is important that he is in the right place mentally as