Joe Root Reflects on Captaincy and Upcoming Challenges for England

Joe Root Looks Back on His Captaincy Tenure
Leeds [UK], June 18: Joe Root, the renowned batsman for England, has shared his thoughts on his time as captain, expressing that the challenges faced during his leadership were often unfair to the team. His captaincy spanned from 2017 to 2022, during which England achieved 27 victories, suffered 26 losses, and recorded 11 draws across 64 matches. However, the conclusion of his captaincy was marked by significant difficulties alongside some notable successes.
In the last 17 Tests he led, England managed only one win, largely due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which shifted focus towards white-ball cricket. Root's captaincy ended on a disappointing note with a 4-0 defeat against Australia, followed by a 1-0 loss to the West Indies.
Reflecting on this period, Root stated, “I would change Covid. The number of games we played under those conditions was not fair on the team. We were competing to keep the game alive and secure victories.” He added, “However, I wouldn’t change much else. I take pride in our wins in South Africa, our successes in Sri Lanka, and several significant home victories. I captained during some thrilling matches, and I am proud of our accomplishments during that time.”
Currently, Root is honing his skills ahead of a challenging five-match Test series against India. Under the leadership of head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, England has not lost a Test series at home since their arrival.
Following the series against India, England will prepare to reclaim the Ashes from Australia, with the first Test set to commence at Perth's Optus Stadium on November 21.
Root cautioned against looking too far ahead, stating, “It’s risky to set long-term goals as it can lead to disappointment.” He noted, “This will be the first time we can approach Australia with a strong pace attack, testing them in a new way. But for that to work, everything must align, and the team needs to stay fit.”
India's squad includes: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana.
England's squad for the first Test against India features: Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Ben Stokes (capt), Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.