Melbourne, Nov. 14 -- Star England batter Joe Root expressed his committment to "repay the favour" to skipper Ben Stokes for giving his "everything" while helping him out as a Test captain, as the all-rounder is set for the first tour to Australia as a captain.

From his 122 at a tough, cracked and troubling surface at Perth's WACA Stadium back in 2013 in his early 20s, Stokes has come a long way from being a brash, hard-hitting all-rounder to a mastermind behind the chaos that is 'Bazball', alongside the head coach Brendon McCullum. Stokes-McCullum's positive and attacking brand of cricket would be put to the test in Australia, where England is yet to win a Test after their 2010/11 triumph.

Root feels that he owes Stokes a favour, who p...