Former England captain Alastair Cook has expressed his opinion regarding Joe Root’s future as captain as he said that Root should give himself some time to think before making any decision either way. Cook also opined that England paid a price for not paying much attention to test cricket in past few years.
On Sunday, the visitors suffered another batting collapse as they bowled out for 124, chasing the target of 271. So Australia retained the Ashes as they took the series by 4-0.
“Only Joe Root will know if he wants to continue as captain or not, and I respect his decision either way” – Cook
Writing a column for The Times, Cook expressed various thoughts on England’s Ashes campaign. Notable that Joe Root made it quite clear that he would want to continue as captain but Cook believes that those conversations don’t make much significance in the middle of the series.
“In press conferences since the defeat in Melbourne, Joe has said he wants to carry on. But that’s what you have to say while there are still two Tests to play.
“It may well be when he gets home, away from the heat of the international arena, and considers the reset that English red-ball cricket clearly needs, that he decides he too isn’t the right man to usher in a new era. Only Joe will know, and I respect his decision either way,” Cook wrote.
Though Cook isn’t surprised with all the hullabaloo as he said that it’s a normal thing for Australia or England- whoever ends up on the losing side.
“Whenever one of the two countries suffers a heavy Ashes defeat, a review inevitably follows – it happened with England in 2007 and 2014 and Australia in 2011,” he stated.
Also, Cook pointed out that Ashes defeat wasn’t a one-off for England as they had a tough year as a test team. England lost their both home series against New Zealand and India. They also lost an away series against India.
“2021 was the year that the neglect of red-ball cricket caught up with England. We got away with it in recent years because we usually won in English conditions and occasionally enjoyed a morale-boosting series victory overseas to paper over the cracks. In 2021, the cracks burst through the paper.
“Take out the series win against a weak Sri Lanka, and you are looking at two wins and nine defeats from 13 (and the two draws could have been losses but for the intervention of rain),” he concluded.
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