James Vince has been tipped as a "left-field" option to replace Joe Root as England Test captain by Azeem Rafiq.
Root has stepped down as England skipper after a disastrous run of results which culminated in a series defeat to the West Indies last month. Vice-captain Ben Stokes is widely viewed as the most likely replacement, given he is one of few players guaranteed a spot in the side if fit and has previously filled in as captain.
However, he has previously expressed reluctance about taking the job, admitting in January that he has "never really had an ambition to be a captain". And should Stokes decide he does not want to replace Root, England could be forced to turn to an outside option from county cricket.
The likes of Kent skipper Sam Billings and Surrey captain Rory Burns have been mentioned as potential options, but Rafiq feels Vince, who has led Hampshire since 2015, should be given the job. In an appearance on The Murali End podcast following the Ashes, Rafiq said: "I just find that he's never had a long run in the team, a consistent run where he's told 'look, you're going to play.'
"He's too good a player to not be playing international cricket consistently, in my opinion. He's got the technique.
"Everyone talks about 'yeah, he gets out driving', in that Ashes series he got 80 odd at Brisbane, got run out. He was batting really well at Perth and he got that absolute snorter of a delivery.
"And then I think he got a score in New Zealand [76 in Christchurch] and then Ed Smith came in and then dropped him. He's technically one of the best in the country, the better the bowling the better he plays.
"If you look at James Vince's career, at every level it's taken him a little while but one he gets it he is really, really good. Obviously he's been captain [at Hampshire] and I think he's a natural leader. I think he's got good tactics as well. A little bit left field because he's not in the team."
After news of Root's resignation broke, Rafiq once again backed Vince for the job, tweeting: "Vince has the most captaincy experience I think. Tactically he's very good. He would be my choice." Vince has not played a Test match since 2018 and has a career record of 548 runs at an average of just 24.90 across 13 matches.
The 31-year-old was recently asked about potentially replacing Root as captain and told The Cricketer : "Of course [I would take it], if it did come up, but I know people are speculating and there are lots of ideas at the minute. For them to bring someone in who isn't even in the squad or playing and then make him captain – I think that would be extremely out there."
