WEB DESK: Ben Stokes will captain England for the first time in the first Test against West Indies starting next week. Joe Root, England’s permanent red-ball captain, will miss the first Test and warm-up match to attend the birth of his second child. Root’s wife, Carrie, is due to give birth later this week.
The ECB confirmed that Root will have to self-isolate for seven days at home once he leaves hospital with his family. He is expected to be available for the second Test of the series, which starts at Emirates Old Trafford on July 16, and will join up with the squad at the ground on July 13.
