In the absence of Ben Stokes, England’s seamer Stuart Broad is all set to become the deputy for Joe Root in the upcoming Test series against New Zealand starting from tomorrow at the Lord’s cricket ground.
English side, which has got severely depleted in the absence of its IPL heroes, will be having a faceoff against the visiting New Zealand side. The blackcaps will be eyeing the series as a curtain-raiser for what they will soon embark upon against the Indian cricket team at Southampton during the World Test Championship final.
Ben Stokes, who was a regular deputy to Joe Root, will be absent for the New Zealand series as he got injured during the first phase of the IPL when he hurt his thumb finger while taking Chris Gayle’s catch during Rajasthan Royal’s encounter against the Punjab Kings.
Broad, a star player for the English side has no experience of leading the side in the Test format, Although he has led the English side in three ODI and 27 T20s in which he took his side to victory in two and 11 games respectively.
England’s paceman who will now be deputy to Joe Root has appeared in 147 Test matches and has picked 517 wickets at a bowling average of 27.71.
