The ECB announced on Friday that Joe Root has resigned as England’s Test captain (April 15).
Joe Root’s departure brings an end to his two-year reign as England captain, during which he led the Test team to the most matches (64) and the most victories (27) in the format.
England won 4-1 at home against India in 2018 and 3-1 away against South Africa in 2020 under Root’s captaincy. Root also made history in 2018 by being the first England men’s skipper to win a Test series in Sri Lanka since 2001, a record he repeated in 2021 with a 2-0 success.
Joe Root, on the other hand, is stepping down after a difficult 14 months in charge of the red-ball side, which included multiple Test defeats to India at home and abroad, an 0-4 Ashes humiliation in Australia, failure to qualify for the Test Championship final, and, most recently, a 0-1 loss in a three-match series in the West Indies, which proved to be the tipping point for Joe Root.
Statement by Joe Root on his step down
Joe Root stated that he has decided to step down as England Men’s Test Captain after returning from the Caribbean tour and having time to reflect. It’s been the most difficult decision that he had to make in his career, but after consulting with my family and closest friends, he said that he feels the time is right. It has been a privilege to work on this project, Root added.
Root also suggested that he would like to use this opportunity to express his gratitude to the family, Carrie, Alfred, and Bella, who have been great pillars of love and support throughout. All of the players, coaches, and support personnel have aided him throughout his career. It has been a great honor to accompany them on this adventure, Root said.
He would also like to express my gratitude to all England fans for their everlasting support. Root said that they are fortunate to have the best supporters in the world and that positivism is something they always cherish and admire wherever they play, which is a huge motivation for all of them out there.
Root stated that he is looking forward to assisting the next captain, as well as his teammates and coaches, in any way he can.
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The amazing stint of Joe Root as a captain
Joe Root has 14 hundred as England’s captain and is the second-best Test run-scorer in England’s history, behind only Cook.
His 5295 runs as captain are the most by any England captain, putting him in fifth position all-time behind Graeme Smith, Alan Border, Ricky Ponting, and Virat Kohli.
During his tenure, Joe has been an outstanding role model, balancing the duties of Test captaincy while continuing to shine brilliantly through his own personal performances, said ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison. He has led by example, resulting in more Test triumphs than any previous England captain, as well as a number of great series successes at home and away.
Root’s leadership qualities were illustrated by how he led the team through some of the most difficult and uncertain moments we’ve seen, including playing during the global pandemic, which speaks volumes for him as a leader and as a personality.
