Stokes on why it was hard to see reaction Root was getting after ENG loss vs NZ

“Seeing him stand up and take that responsibility on last week showed a lot about his character but then also from the other side for me as his friend, it was hard to see the reaction that he got. And for me that’s something that hurt me because I’m very close with Joe. And as I said at the start, when something happens, it’s obviously going to effect someone else. And seeing the effect that it had on Joe from public opinion was hard to see and read from my point of view, if that makes sense.  But that shouldn’t take away the courage that Joe showed in taking that on that week. It would have been very easy for him to have said, ‘nah, I don’t need this.’ But yet again, he put the team first, as he has done on multiple occasions. It was tough to watch from a few different angles. Obviously watching the guys lose and go through the motions of losing the Test match, it’s never nice because I know what that feels like. But then seeing some of the reaction that Joe undeservedly got was something that hurts you not only as a colleague, but also as a friend,” he added.

Stokes also said he apologised to his teammates after being dropped for the second Test for disciplinary reasons. Stokes admitted he had been “man enough” to own up to his mistake, while also acknowledging this is the “highest amount of pressure” he and head coach Brendon McCullum have faced as captain and head coach.

Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were dropped from the second Test against New Zealand after breaking a midnight curfew during an incident at a London nightclub, following England’s series-opening win at Lord’s.