In a shocking development, Joe Root has stepped down from the captaincy of the England Test team after the team experienced a poor run of form recently. England have managed to win only one of their last 17 Test matches under Root’s leadership and the pressure on him to resign was mounting.
England have experienced a poor run of form lately in Test cricket and now they have suffered another blow. Joe Root has stepped down from the leadership role of the Test team after completing a tenure of five years. The English team had lost the Ashes and then the Test series in West Indies. In his leadership, the team has managed to win only one of their last 17 Test matches. Root led England in 64 Tests with 27 victories and 26 losses.
Root revealed that he arrived upon the decision after the recent series against West Indies.
“After returning from the Caribbean tour and having time to reflect, I have decided to step down as England’s men’s Test captain. It has been the most challenging decision I have had to make in my career but having discussed this with my family and those closest to me, I know the timing is right,” Root said in a statement issued by ECB.
“I am immensely proud to have captained my country and will look back on the past five years with enormous pride. It has been an honour to have done the job and to have been a custodian of what is the pinnacle of English cricket. I had loved leading my country but recently it’s hit home how much of a toll it has taken on me and the impact it has had on me away from the game.”
Root was appointed captain in 2017 after Alastair Cook’s resignation. The highlights of his stint included a series win against India at home in 2018 and against South Africa away in 2019-20. Team’s last summer losses at home against New Zealand and India were low moments of the captaincy. His batting has never been under scrutiny but results under his leadership mounted a pressure on him to resign from the role.
Root confirmed that he would like to continue playing international cricket.
“I am excited to continue representing the [team] and producing performances that will enable the team to succeed. I look forward to helping the next captain, my teammates, and coaches in whatever way I can,” he explained.
With Root’s resignation from captaincy Ben Stokes is the favourite to be the leader of the team. Rory Burns, Stuart Broad, and Jos Buttler are other contenders but none is certain of a place in England’s best XI. England Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive Tom Harrison has said that Root has been an exceptional role model.
“an exceptional role model during his tenure, balancing the demands of Test captaincy whilst continuing to shine brilliantly through his own personal performances,” Harrison stated.
“Joe’s leadership qualities were exemplified by how he led the team through some of the most difficult and uncertain times we have known, playing during the pandemic all over the world, which speaks volumes for him as a leader and as a person. I know that every single person who has played or worked under Joe’s captaincy will speak of his integrity and humility as a person, as much as his determination and example as a leader,” said Harrison.
