Ben Stokes documenting his struggles will unite England, says Joe Root

GEORGE DOBELL: Stokes' predecessor as Test captain says his story is a "wake-up call" and hopes it will raise awareness around mental health struggles in cricket

While it may have been Ben Stokes' sense of apparent invincibility that first marked him out as an international cricketer, it is, perhaps, his vulnerability which has helped him mature as a leader.

That, in essence, is the view of the man he replaced as England's Test captain. Joe Root was among those invited to the premiere of the documentary about Stokes – Ben Stokes: Phoenix from the Ashes - on Monday (August 22) night. It is clear it made quite an impression.

The film delves into Stokes' life over the previous few years. There are high points, of course: the World Cup win and the miracle of Headingley, to name just two. But there has also been pain.

There's been the court case following the brawl in Bristol, the death of his father, Ged, and some news reports about his family's history that really would have been better left private. Those events took their toll and, as he took a prolonged break from the game, there were those who admit they feared he would not return.

But return he did. And now he's captain of the England Test side knowing far more than he once did about life's peaks and troughs. Where once he might have appeared almost intimidatingly invulnerable, his team now know he will understand if their gnawing anxieties are starting to gain a foothold in their mind.

And if it's OK for him to ask for help, it should be OK for anyone else. The respect for him from his team, which was already significant, appears to have deepened further. All of the current squad were at the premiere.

"It's very powerful what he's done," Root said as England assembled at Emirates Old Trafford for their first training session ahead of the second LV= Insurance Test which begins on Thursday (August 25).

^{Root has been one of Stokes' chief lieutenants since the captaincy change (Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images)}

"To share his journey and his story and everything that he's had to go through, not just with us as a team but the rest of the world, it's quite a powerful thing and I can't see how it won't better the environment that we're playing in.

"It takes great courage and shows great leadership to say that it's okay to not be okay sometimes and to ask for help and go and do what he's done. So it can only be a good thing.

"Even I, someone who's generally quite close to him, wasn't aware of everything he had been going through. There's obviously certain things that - you know Ben - he has not always found it easy to tell people how he's feeling.

"So I think it's just a great example to everyone that regardless of what may be perceived on the outside, everyone has those vulnerabilities and can get themselves into a very difficult place. Everyone can need help and support from others. It's just a great wake-up call that you've got to make sure the guys around you can reach out when the time's right."

Root was a young player in the England dressing room when Jonathan Trott suffered what might be termed a breakdown through the second half of 2013.

While there was a good deal of sympathy from players and coaches, some elements of the media were less understanding. Root, though, is satisfied that through the example of Marcus Trescothick, Trott and Sarah Taylor, the next generation of players will be better equipped to ask for help.

"I think we've come a long way," Root says. "I was a very young and naive lad in that team and wasn't really aware of what Trotty was going through. But guys like himself, Trescothick and others, speaking up and sharing what they've had to go through, has made it easier and better for other players to sort of deal with some hardships of their own.

^{Root believes the discussion around mental health has developed since Jonathan Trott's struggles (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)}

"And, again, I think this is another example, another case hopefully we'll keep improving that and helping other guys that are struggling, giving them a better way forward."

It's probably just as well the relationship between Root and Stokes is as close as it clearly is. The last few months have featured a succession of England players saying how much better the atmosphere in the camp is now that Stokes has taken over.

To be fair, the change also coincided with the end of Covid restrictions which, no doubt, drained Root's team. Even so, Root could be forgiven if he felt the odd pang of discomfort at such words.

Instead, he is Stokes' most steadfast supporter. It was Root who made the century at Lord's, in Stokes' first Test as permanent captain, which led the side to an unlikely victory and Root who followed it up with centuries at Trent Bridge and Edgbaston (as well as going close in Leeds). He even admits a documentary about his own life "wouldn't be very interesting".

"I was dreading what I'd said [in the film], to be honest," he says bashfully. "Classic, 'I love batting; I love Ben again' from me. But it was very well edited and sort of made me sound eloquent. For periods anyway.

"It's easy for me. I just want us to win. That had been a long time coming at the start of the summer. It's been great fun [playing under Ben]. I do love batting and I do love Ben. I've said it enough times! I want to try to help us win as many games as possible and score as many runs as I can. I don't play cricket to be the best captain or score the most runs, I play to win games and enjoy that with the lads I play with. 

"It's certainly more enjoyable to play [the style of cricket expected by Stokes]. Instead of the stuff we were playing under me. It's been really good.

"I am quite happy to move on [from captaincy]. I gave everything. I threw everything at it. I am very grateful to the lads who played through that period. It's a great opportunity for us now to move forward under Ben and I want to be a big part of that."

^{In and out: Zak Crawley and Ollie Robinson (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)}

Meanwhile, there seems a decent chance England will name an unchanged team for the second Test.

While there had been talk of recalling Ollie Robinson to refresh the seam attack in what is, after all, the second in a back-to-back series of games, the early finish at Lord's has rendered that less likely.

Certainly, Stuart Broad, who bowled really nicely in training, didn't look in need of a rest. It remains possible that Matthew Potts could make way, but it seems more likely Robinson will have to wait a little longer for a recall.

As the Evening Standard first reported though, there does seem a strong chance Broad will miss at least part of the Pakistan Test tour to be at the birth of his first child; perhaps Robinson will win his chance then.

In truth, all the seamers – including Craig Overton – impressed in a net session played on unusually spicy tracks at Emirates Old Trafford. Poor Zak Crawley, who is surely in need of a strong performance in Manchester, endured an especially torrid time, though Ollie Pope was also bowled by a (very good) delivery from a net bowler.

Both will know they have the support of a captain with the experience to understand their struggles and the compassion to offer his help. They'll be desperate to win in Manchester.

But it doesn't do any harm at all that they all know it's not life and death.

Related Topics

• New deal for Zak Crawley at Kent as England opener signs on for another year
• Nasser Hussain: I can't work out Brendon McCullum's comments on Zak Crawley
• Brendon McCullum demands more aggression from England after Lord's defeat
• Dom Sibley focused on enjoying cricket and not distracted by potential England recall