London - England Test captain Joe Root said they still have to discuss who will be his deputy for the upcoming series against New Zealand now that Ben Stokes has returned to the squad. 

Stokes is the official vice-captain of the Test team and was not stripped of the role after the incident outside a nightclub in Bristol cost him a place on last year's Ashes tour. 

Seamer James Anderson was named as the vice-captain for the Ashes, which England lost four-nil, but with Stokes now back in the Root said he and coach Trevor Bayliss will have a decision to make. 

The two-match Test series against the Black Caps starts on 22 March at Eden Park in Auckland. 

Root said of the vice-captaincy role: "That's a decision we've not agreed yet. 

"I think when we get together as a group me and Trevor will discuss a few things but that's not been discussed [yet]." 

Root though has praised Stokes for the way he has fitted back into the squad after joining up with the team before the ongoing five-match ODI series. 

The all-rounder took two wickets and scored an unbeaten fifty as the tourists levelled the series at one-all after two games. 

Root said of Stokes' return: "All I can say is what I've seen of him coming back into the environment and he's worked his nuts off as we expected him to. 

"He's gone about things exactly how you'd expect a really good professional to do and that sort of standard in training is why you get the performances on the field. 

"He worked really hard back home in Durham to make sure when he did get his opportunity to come back and play he was ready. He loves playing for England and you can see that in the way he plays. 

"He leaves nothing out there on the field, he's really dedicated to this sport and it's really nice to be able to look back on the last game and see him have such an influence on the result.