Ashes: Ricky Ponting Feels Ben Stokes Should Be England's Test Captain In Place of Joe Root

Ponting's comments come after England's dismal show, down under in the Ashes series. The fourth Test is ongoing but England has already lost the first three matches and the series along with it, too. 

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Australian legend and the most successful skipper the game has ever seen, Ricky Ponting, has spoken about his thoughts on the England Test captainship. Ponting feels that Ben Stokes should be the captain of the English Test team. 

His comments come after England's dismal show down under in the Ashes Test series. The fourth Test is ongoing but England has already lost the first three matches and the series along with it, too. 

"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, and that someone else has to be Ben Stokes," Ponting said on 7 Cricket when asked about if Joe Root is the right man for the job. 

Joe Root's record in the past couple of years as captain has not been very impressive. England lost a couple of series' against India and also lost against New Zealand and now they also lost the much-anticipated Ashes series. Thus, to have questions about Joe Root's captaincy are anything but obvious. 

Meanwhile, Day 4 of the fourth Ashes Test from the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is underway and Australia has taken a 230+ runs lead in the second innings. Although Mark Wood and Jack Leach managed to pick up quick wickets in the early stages of Day 4, it still doesn't look very bright for England. Given England's current form, they can easily slip and lose on the Day 5 of this Sydney Test.

Australia has a 3-0 lead in the series. The hosts have retained the series but they would love to dominate the English in the remaining two Test matches as well.