'It's time for him to move on and give someone else a chance' - Ricky Ponting feels Ben Stokes should replace Joe Root as England Test captain

It is safe to say that England have been absolutely hammered by Australia in the Ashes 2021-22 so far. Despite all the hype for this mega-series, it has turned out to be a rather one-sided affair, with the hosts dominating the visitors. The Cummins-led side are currently leading the series by 3-0.

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Thus, this has led to the English skipper Joe Root being severely criticized. Even the former Australian captain Ricky Ponting felt that it was high time the 31-year-old gets replaced as the Test captain. He stated that Ben Stokes should be given the role of leading the Brits in the longest format of the game.

"I think it's time. I think four or five years in the job – having been there and done it myself, and with what they've done in the last couple of years – I think it's time for him to move on and give someone else a chance and that someone else has to be Ben Stokes," said Ricky Ponting, while speaking on-air for Channel 7.

I've never really had an ambition to be a captain: Ben Stokes

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Although Ponting feels Stokes should lead the English Test side, the latter doesn't seem too keen to take up that role. He had earlier cited his lack of ambition for the captaincy role and also went on to say that Root was someone he always wants to play for.

"I've never really had an ambition to be a captain. It's totally Joe's decision, he shouldn't be forced into doing it. I don't sense that at all with Joe. The most important people's opinions are those guys in the dressing room and they've got our thorough support. A captain is someone you want to go out and play for. Joe Root is someone I always want to play for," said Ben Stokes, as quoted by Sportskeeda.

However, it is to be noted that Root has led England 15 times against Australia, but has only won twice. Not only did he lose the Ashes 2017-18 by 4-0, but he also failed to beat them in their den, and drew the Ashes 2019 by 2-2. Thus, several cricket pundits and experts have called for him to be axed as England's captain.