Joe Root backs Ben Stokes to cover as England captain if he misses first Test

• Root may miss first Windies Test to be at birth of second child
• ‘I could see Ben doing very good job … he drags people with him’

Joe Root would have no qualms handing over the England captaincy to Ben Stokes should the birth of his second child and problems leaving the team’s biosecure bubble lead him to miss the first Test against West Indies.

The dates and venues for the series next month were made public on Tuesday – albeit subject to final government clearance – with a series opener at Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl from 8 July and the second and third Tests played at Old Trafford from 16 and 24 July respectively.

The two grounds have been selected for their on-site hotels that will mean players and support staff living away from the outside world while subject to a rigorous Covid-19 testing regime. But for Root, whose wife, Carrie, is due to give birth at the start of next month, this lockdown presents a problem.

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