Test captaincy to help Joe Root become a better player, says Stuart Broad

Fast bowler also expects Root's aggressive batting style to have influence on England team.

Joe Root's aggressive batting style could help reshape the England cricket side, according to teammate Stuart Broad. Altaf Qadri / AP Photo

England bowler Stuart Broad hopes captaincy can raise Joe Root to "the next level" as a Test player.

Root was named as Alastair Cook's successor in February but will be leading the side for the first time when the Investec Series opener against South Africa gets under way at Lord's on Thursday.

The Yorkshire batsman is already seen as the best player in the team but Broad is not concerned about the 26-year-old middle-order batsman taking on too much and instead expects him to thrive.

"Joe's not had a huge amount of captaincy experience because he played for England from a young age but he's learned the game at the top level," Broad told Sky Sports News HQ.

"I think it will take his game to the next level, if he can go any higher. He'll really thrive off the extra responsibility.

"He's an attacking cricketer, quite aggressive in the way he plays, so I think the team will take that sort of shape. He was announced a long time ago and now he has the chance to put things into place."

Broad had been an injury doubt for the series opener as he battled against a foot injury last week, but he has declared himself fully fit for action.

The 102-Test veteran was monitored in the nets and ultimately won his race to play in Nottinghamshire's Royal London One-Day Cup final victory over Surrey on Saturday.

After suffering no adverse reaction from his nine overs at the home of cricket he is more than happy to go again.

"I got through the Lord's final with no problems and bowled Wednesday and Friday before that with no pain," he said.

"I pulled up really well and I'll train again this afternoon and tomorrow, but I feel confident.

"I've been playing county cricket since early April, so I've got quite a lot of red ball and white ball cricket in. It was great to have the intensity of a Lord's final, to play in it but also to put my body to the test."