He has become the most successful England Test captain after trampling India in the third Test but Joe Root won’t own the feat alone, saying the contribution of his teammates and coaching staff is equally important in his achievement.
England crushed India by an innings and 76 runs in the third Test and that gave Root his 27th win as captain in 55 games. He surpassed the likes of Michael Vaughan (26), Andrew Strauss (24) and Alastair Cook (24) in terms of most number of wins by an England Test captain.
“As I mentioned before the game, I’m living my boyhood dream of captaining England. It’s something that I dreamt of doing from being really small,” Root said after England levelled the five-match series 1-1.
“I couldn’t be more proud to have gone past Vaughan but you don’t do that on your own as a captain, it’s down to the group of players and the coaching staff as well.”
There have been many ups and downs and challenges to deal with their rotation policy in view of the bubble life as it invited criticism from all quarters.
“It’s been a very challenging period throughout my tenure as captain, there has been a lot to contend with, a lot around the games, and not necessarily all the full focus has been on the field,” he said.
“But that’s part and parcel of the job. I haven’t put a time limit on it. As long as I am enjoying it, as long as we feel like we are moving in the right direction and that I am the right man for it in my own mind, I am more than happy to keep doing it.”
England came into the contest after suffering an embarrassing defeat at the Lord’s in the second Test that was marred by some ugly on-the-field exchanges.
But they bounced back strongly with James Anderson blowing away the top-order after Virat Kohli opted to bat as India were dismissed for 78.
In reply, England had a 135-opening partnership, before the skipper’s classy 121 — his third in three matches and sixth in the year — steered them to 432.