{"id":250899,"date":"2026-07-01T11:26:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T11:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/01\/joe-root-stands-alone-after-old-mate-ben-stokes-runs-out-of-road\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T11:26:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T11:26:19","slug":"joe-root-stands-alone-after-old-mate-ben-stokes-runs-out-of-road","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/01\/joe-root-stands-alone-after-old-mate-ben-stokes-runs-out-of-road\/","title":{"rendered":"Joe Root stands alone after old mate Ben Stokes runs out of road"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

Joe Root and Ben Stokes are great mates; they\u2019ve played with each other since they were children representing Yorkshire and Durham\u2019s youth teams. Root even confessed this week in a moving dressing room tribute<\/a> that Stokes had taught him his first swearword. There\u2019s something symbolic in that, it almost feels like Stokes has been doing the same to English cricket over the last four years.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a hell of a ride mate, I\u2019ve loved every minute of playing alongside you,\u201d Root goes on to say in the speech. \u201cI\u2019m so grateful I got to spend the journey with you.\u201d Stokes is clearly choked up listening to his comrade pay tribute and also wonderfully uncomfortable in that particularly English way when someone is being earnest and speaking from the heart.<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/span>Ben Stokes and Joe Root both played big roles in England winning the 2015 Ashes.<\/span> Photograph: Gareth Copley\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Stokes and Root have played together for England 225 times, they\u2019ve experienced the highs of Ashes victory<\/a> and World Cup wins<\/a> together as well as the lows that punishing tours of India<\/a> and Australia can inflict<\/a>. Though Stokes has had the more turbulent time off the field, Root did have a notable early experience of making the front pages for the wrong reasons.<\/p>\n

After a 48 run win over Australia in the Champions Trophy in 2013, players from both sides found themselves in a Birmingham bar late at night. Fair to say drink was taken, it was only a matter of days before that summer\u2019s Ashes series was due to start. A 22-year-old Root, then nicknamed \u2018The \u2018Milkybar Kid\u2019 by his teammates because of his blond and innocent appearance, found himself on the end of a drunken punch<\/a> from Australia\u2019s David Warner. Warner gave a risible explanation for the attack and was duly suspended for the first two Tests of the series. Nevertheless, the incident gave Root an insight, albeit on a far lesser scale, to what his friend would later experience.<\/p>\n

Root\u2019s calm and gentle manner might seem opposed to Stokes\u2019 more rough-hewn characteristics but both men bring out the more hidden sides in the other. Theirs is a friendship borne out of respect and understanding. When Root gave up the captaincy<\/a> he made a point of giving his all back in the ranks and subscribed wholeheartedly to Stokes\u2019 new approach as leader.<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/span>Even Ben Stokes could not quite believe what he had done after his match-winning hundred at Headingley in 2019.<\/span> Photograph: Gareth Copley\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI just wanted to make sure he knew that I had his back,\u201d Root told The Spin of that time. \u201cThat I was right in his corner and whatever was asked of me I was ready to do it. The amount of times when we were under pressure I\u2019d throw the ball to Ben or he\u2019d be the one that would stand up in big moments of games. I think it\u2019s my time now is to try and pay that back and be that player for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stokes admitted he was pained to see<\/a> how Root was criticised after stepping into the breach to lead a vastly inexperienced side at The Oval after the Rex Rooms fallout. It hurt Stokes to know that his actions put his friend in an impossible position and potentially re-opened some of the scars Root has from his own darker days<\/a> experienced in the captain\u2019s blazer.<\/p>\n

At Trent Bridge on Saturday afternoon there was one shot that made it crystal clear England were going to win or lose the match in Stokes\u2019 image. It wasn\u2019t the whip for six that Harry Brook played to his first ball, nor even the backwards-roll scoop over the keeper for four to his next.<\/p>\n

England were clearly trying to tap into those heady early days of BazBall<\/a>, when Stokes had tried to free them up and show them the way by batting ultra aggressively, two fingers flicked to the consequences. Brook perished soon after, swishing a full ball from Zak Foulkes straight down fine leg\u2019s throat. \u201cWhat are they doing?!\u201d came the bemused but jubilant cry from a celebrating New Zealand fielder passing the stump microphone. It was a thought echoed by those calling the scene on the TV and radio commentary. Less so by those in the crowd, though surely some had seen enough when Brook departed.<\/p>\n

A balm settled over Trent Bridge as Joe Root was announced as the next batter and could be seen sprinting out to the middle to join Ben Duckett. Root will calm everything down. He\u2019s like aloe vera in whites, Rooty – apply once liberally and repeat as required for fifteen years and counting.<\/p>\n

skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n