Former England captains back Ben Stokes to take over from Joe Root

Former England captains Michael Vaughan and Mike Atherton say star all-rounder Ben Stokes should fill the vacuum left after Joe Root resigned as Test skipper.

Stokes, who is currently nursing a knee injury, can take the England job with an easy conscience as he had said he would turn it down if his good friend Root was sacked.

Root, though, walked of his own accord announcing his resignation on Friday.

It followed a dire past year of results reaching its lowest point with a 4-0 thrashing by Australia in the Ashes series and then a 1-0 loss to the West Indies.

Root, appointed as Alastair Cook's successor in 2017, holds the record for the most matches (64) and most wins (27) as England skipper, but he also has the unwanted record for most defeats (26).

Vaughan, who captained England in 51 Tests and unlike Root won an Ashes series, told the BBC Stokes is the natural choice.

Veteran fast bowler Stuart Broad has also been mentioned as a potential captain but his place in the side is seen as being less secure after he was controversially omitted from the West Indies tour.

"I don't see anyone else who could take the position and be guaranteed of their place in the side," said Vaughan referring to Stokes.

"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."

England captain Joe Root is consoled by Ben Stokes after losing the third Test - and the series - against West Indies at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Getty

Vaughan, though, added Stokes will require help from other experienced players in the team.

"Stokes is everything in a person and a player that you would