Ben Stokes will captain England for the first time next week after it became confirmed Joe Root will omit the first Test in opposition to West Indies to help the birth of his 2d child.
Root, 29, will go away England’s coaching camp in Southampton on Wednesday, with the birth expected later this week.
With the gathering being held in a bio-trusty environment, Root must self-isolate for a week after leaving clinic earlier than re-joining the squad.
The first Test begins on 8 July.
Root, who might perchance even omit England’s intra-squad warm-up match which begins on Wednesday, will rejoin the squad on 13 July earlier than the 2d Test at Mature Trafford, which begins on 16 July.
Stokes will change into the 81st man to lead England in a Test, and the first all-rounder since Andrew Flintoff.
He has no skilled captaincy ride, announcing on Monday the closing time he led a side became during his time with the Durham academy.
Stokes has had two spells as vice-captain, having taken up the role when Root became made captain in 2017.
He became stripped of the role in following an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September 2017; he became charged with affray, nonetheless later acquitted.
He became reinstated in 2019 during a stellar year which integrated leading England to victory in the World Cup closing and participating in among the all-time massive Test innings in the unprecedented one-wicket Ashes decide over Australia at Headingley.
On Monday, he acknowledged he would no longer alter his kind of play if he became confirmed as captain.
Talking earlier than Tuesday’s announcement, he acknowledged: “Getting the chance to captain England is a tall honour – even though it be most efficient the if you might perchance well be in an arena to tranquil snarl: ‘Yeah, I’ve captained England.’
“It is miles a tall honour to accept as true with, and something I am surely taking a stumble on forward to if the chance affords itself, nonetheless also on the identical time I do know I am most efficient stepping in for the one game because of Joe’s private trouble.”