Root Addresses Team's Recent Behaviour and Leadership Role
Joe Root has admitted that England have "let ourselves down" through some "disappointing" behaviour in recent months. This series of incidents culminated in an episode at a Chelsea nightclub last week, which has resulted in the absence of Ben Stokes for the second Test against New Zealand. Root has indicated that his return to captaincy will be considered on a "game-by-game basis".
Stokes and Ollie Robinson were sidelined after breaching the team’s midnight curfew during the opening Test at Lord’s. Consequently, Root has resumed the captaincy for a 65th Test, potentially more, over four years after stepping down from the role. At the time, he cited the toll the position had taken on his personal health.
Root was also present during the post-Lord’s celebrations but left early to meet with the squad following a winter marked by a series of disciplinary issues involving team members. Reflecting on the situation, Root said:
“From a personal point of view, it has been disappointing. There has been a few occasions as a team we’ve let ourselves down, and we’ve let each other down.
We have to learn from those mistakes and make sure we understand we shouldn’t be putting ourselves in those situations. I don’t think it’s a fair reflection of our dressing room. It’s an incredibly professional dressing room that works extremely hard, that turns up and puts everything into each and every training day.
In terms of being able to celebrate wins, absolutely you should be able to do it, but doing it at the right time is very important, understanding that and making sure we don’t find ourselves in situations like this. These things should never happen, but we are where we are. We’ve got to learn from it and move forward.”
Root’s Captaincy and Collaboration with Brendon McCullum
Despite his previous tenure as captain, Root expressed enthusiasm about leading the team at The Oval this week and collaborating with head coach Brendon McCullum. He notably did not rule out the possibility of a longer-term captaincy role should Stokes be unable or unwilling to resume the position.
“I am a very different player and have a different way of looking at the game than the last time I captained, in a good way,” Root said. “It is going to be cool to experience the captaincy side with Baz and with this coaching group. I have never had more fun and got more out of a group of coaches than this one.”
Root has retrieved his old captain’s blazer, which had been stored away, noting it was "a bit creased" when he took it down. He credited McCullum as a key influence in his decision to wear it again.
“I have really enjoyed the last couple of days, working with Baz in a slightly different space,” Root added.
“In a small way – in a good way – I was slightly envious of that opportunity, to work with someone like Baz in this sort of capacity. It has been really cool, the last couple of days. It’s a very different look to even the team we had [at Lord’s] but it is very exciting to get to lead those guys out.”
