Former England Test skipper Joe Root has lauded his successor Ben Stokes for acknowledging the mental health issues he had suffered in the last couple of years.
Stokes’ father, Gerard Stokes, passed away due to brain cancer in December 2020, which affected him mentally. In July 2022, he took an indefinite break from all forms of cricket to prioritize his mental wellbeing. During this while, he also endured a number of panic attacks.
When he was on a break, Stokes also feared whether he will be able to represent England again.
"It's quite powerful for people to see sometimes it's OK not to be OK. It shows great leadership to put yourself out there and express some of the difficulties he's gone through," Root was quoted as saying on BBC Sport.
"It's very powerful for anyone watching to see someone who at times looks superhuman and can do things that other players can't do," he stated.
"You forget how much he has been through in such a short space of time. Hopefully, if there are people out there struggling or finding things difficult, they can gain the courage to ask for that help," he added.
Ben Stokes was one of the key members of England’s triumphant 2019 World Cup campaign. He was the Player-of-the-Match in the final against New Zealand and a month later, the southpaw produced one of the greatest Test centuries in the fourth innings to help England beat Australia in the Ashes at Headingley.
"I'm very fortunate that I have experienced them with one of our greatest ever players and a good mate of mine," Root said.
"You enjoy the good moments and help each other through the difficult times as well. That's one of the most powerful things about sport. You can create those kinds of relationships, memories and experiences," he added.
