3 Players who can replace Joe Root as England's Test captain

2. Jonny Bairstow

The England opener in the white-ball formats has been another terrific performer in international cricket over the years. With 532 runs in the 2019 World Cup, Jonny Bairstow was one of the key reasons for England to lift the coveted trophy. In Test cricket, he has been given the opportunity to bat in the middle order over the last few years.

In 83 Test matches, Bairstow has amassed 4801 runs at an average of 34.53. In the recently concluded series against the West Indies, he was England’s second-highest run-scorer with 226 runs in three matches and scored a hundred as well in a pressure situation to spark his team’s remarkable comeback in the first fixture.

Jonny Bairstow was dropped as the wicket-keeper from the side in 2019. But he made a fine comeback by scoring crucial runs in the middle order and to stake his claim as a specialist batter. But his limited experience as a leader in the domestic and international circuit might keep the selectors at bay in choosing him as the captain of the England Test team. But if Stokes denies taking up captaincy, Bairstow can be an option for them to look after.