Ian Bell hailed Joe Root as a future Test captain despite being replaced as vice skipper by his fellow batsman in this week's turbulent shake-up of English cricket. Root's appointment was all but overlooked in the furore surrounding new England cricket director Andrew Strauss's decision to extend Kevin Pietersen's international exile. Bell said Thursday that while disappointed to lose his role as Alastair Cook's deputy, he understood Strauss's reasons for the change.
"He sees Rooty as a future England captain," Bell said at a press conference organised by Test series sponsors Investec. "It's a smart move. He (Root) has got a good cricket brain. It will be good for him to learn a few more of the things that are going on with Cooky, so he can be a good England captain one day.
"We've got to start looking forward - and Joe Root is an England captain of the future, there's no doubt about that," Bell said of the 24-year-old Yorkshireman. Since arriving at the England and Wales Cricket Board last weekend, Strauss had already overseen the dismissal of England coach Peter Moores.
On Monday he told Pietersen that he wouldn't be considered for the upcoming home series against New Zealand and Australia, despite his career-best, unbeaten triple century for Surrey. With New Zealand, who recently humiliated England at the World Cup, first-up in a two-match series before Australia arrive later, the hosts face a tough season of Test cricket.
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