"I think Joe Root's ready to captain England" : Alastair Cook

[Abdullah719]

Alastair Cook says he has "questions" about his role as England Test captain, after admitting Joe Root is "ready" to be his successor.

Cook, skipper since 2012, watched as England lost four wickets for 13 runs on Monday to slump to an innings defeat and series loss against India.

The opener will discuss his role with director of cricket Andrew Strauss.

"You start having questions, of course you do," said Cook. "Naturally, you look at stuff."

The 31-year-old, who expects to meet Strauss following the end of the current series in India, added: "I think Joe Root's ready to captain England. You never know until you actually experience it, because of everything that goes with the England captaincy.

"You're thrown in at the deep end and you either sink or swim. Nothing can really prepare you for it.

"But he's ready because he's a clued-up guy and he's got the respect of everyone in the changing-room. He hasn't got much captaincy experience, but that doesn't mean he can't be a very good captain."

Root's only senior leadership experience has come in county cricket for Yorkshire and as vice-captain to Cook since the summer of 2015.

England have lost four of their last five Test matches - and seven in total during the calendar year - but Cook has been told he will keep his job "as long as he wants it" by coach Trevor Bayliss.

"When you lose, the captain takes a lot of responsibility but he's got broad shoulders," Bayliss told Sky Sports.

"Over the past 12, 18 months we've seen improvements in the way he captains the team."

Cook, who captained England in Bangladesh in 2010 before taking on the role permanently in 2012, has won 24 of his 58 Tests in charge.

He has also overseen 21 Test defeats, including a 5-0 Ashes whitewash in Australia in January 2014 and England's first Test loss to Bangladesh in October this year.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/38286086

 

[MenInG]

A captain needs to take responsibility but is Root really ready? What is the proof of that? Kneejerk methinks

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Cook should groom Root as Strauss did with him.

 

[Rayyman]

Joe Root should be made captain with Ali or Bairstow as vice captain.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Root will be a disaster as captain. Give the captaincy to Bairstow and make Buttler full-time keeper in tests.

 

[Markhor]

Root will be a disaster as captain. Give the captaincy to Bairstow and make Buttler full-time keeper in tests.

I agree with this. Anyone who knows Root knows he's a cheeky younger brother type personality, not an authoritative leader. He's England's best bat in all three formats and is expecting his first child. This is not the time to put more burden on his shoulder.

 

[Rayyman]

I agree with this. Anyone who knows Root knows he's a cheeky younger brother type personality, not an authoritative leader. He's England's best bat in all three formats and is expecting his first child. This is not the time to put more burden on his shoulder.

Surely you are talking about Billy Root? Joe's younger brother.

 

[Mamoon]

Captaincy could help Root mature as a Test batsman, similar to how it helped improve Kohli's focus.

 

[Cricfan4eva]

Captaincy could help Root mature as a Test batsman, similar to how it helped improve Kohli's focus.

Kohli thrives under pressure, it was something he had long before he became captain.

Root not so much, look at the most challenging times England had in test cricket, he went missing. Be it 2014 Ashes or the current series.

 

[Rayyman]

Woakes could be vice captain.

 

[Rayyman]

Kohli thrives under pressure, it was something he had long before he became captain.

Root not so much, look at the most challenging times England had in test cricket, he went missing. Be it 2014 Ashes or the current series.

Kohli's captaincy style has nothing to do with absorbing pressure. All he does is put pressure on the other team. Which is what captain's should do. Captain's don't necessarily have to be great under pressure.

 

[Mamoon]

Kohli thrives under pressure, it was something he had long before he became captain.

Root not so much, look at the most challenging times England had in test cricket, he went missing. Be it 2014 Ashes or the current series.

I don't think any modern day batsman would have survived the wrath of Johnson in the 2013-14 Ashes, including Kohli. Let's not forget how young he was at that time as well, inexperience can get the better of you in difficult conditions, Kohli can testify to that as well with his English nightmare in 2014.

Root has definitely stood up for England in challenging times. He put on a masterclass in the 2014 Indian series as well as the 2015 Ashes.

Both were crucial for England. In summer of 2014, they were fresh of the Ashes nightmare in had also lost to Sri Lanka, the Indian series was a must-win for England.

Similarly, a lot of people had written them off prior to the 2015 Ashes. In the first Test, England were 40/3 when he walked in at smashed a 130 at a SR of 80, which simply set the tone for the series.

In this series, he has done well. Certainly better than any touring batsman in India in the last 2-3 years.

There is ample evidence that Root has the mental capacity to step up under pressure, but he needs to be pushed a little and iron out those soft dismissals from his game. At times he is too aggressive and has the urge to dominate all the time. Kohli prior to this year had the same problems in Tests and captaincy helped him. Same can happen with Root.

 

[James]

I think Cook has had enough. However for the greater good he needs to keep at it for another 12 months or so. Then he can retire, or carry on as a specialist Test batsman, or whatever he wants. He has given more than enough to English cricket to be entitled to favourable negotiating rights.

Strauss should ideally steer Cook into maintaining the captaincy for now, but with a formal action plan to insert some 'Acting Up Duties' into Test matches for Root, say a day here or a session there. Root needs to then be present at a future meeting so he fully understands what is expected of him in both the short and longer terms.

This needs to be a gradual handover: if Cook falls on his sword before Christmas then we will be straight back into one of those 'transitional periods' when, putting some of the poor recent results aside, we are actually building a team here already.

 

[Cricfan4eva]

Kohli's captaincy style has nothing to do with absorbing pressure. All he does is put pressure on the other team. Which is what captain's should do. Captain's don't necessarily have to be great under pressure.

If a captain doesn't perform under pressure, they can hardly inspire the team to perform under pressure no matter how good the side is.

The fact that Kohli thrives under pressure is definitely an advantage. The end result of the current test may seem that India had it easy but it was not just Kohli's knock that turned the tables but the fearless attitude he's instilled in the team, that contributed to it. So yes, Kohli's game under pressure definitely has influenced his captaincy style and also the team's attitude.

 

[Cricfan4eva]

I don't think any modern day batsman would have survived the wrath of Johnson in the 2013-14 Ashes, including Kohli. Let's not forget how young he was at that time as well, inexperience can get the better of you in difficult conditions, Kohli can testify to that as well with his English nightmare in 2014.

Root has definitely stood up for England in challenging times. He put on a masterclass in the 2014 Indian series as well as the 2015 Ashes.

Both were crucial for England. In summer of 2014, they were fresh of the Ashes nightmare in had also lost to Sri Lanka, the Indian series was a must-win for England.

Similarly, a lot of people had written them off prior to the 2015 Ashes. In the first Test, England were 40/3 when he walked in at smashed a 130 at a SR of 80, which simply set the tone for the series.

In this series, he has done well. Certainly better than any touring batsman in India in the last 2-3 years.

There is ample evidence that Root has the mental capacity to step up under pressure, but he needs to be pushed a little and iron out those soft dismissals from his game. At times he is too aggressive and has the urge to dominate all the time. Kohli prior to this year had the same problems in Tests and captaincy helped him. Same can happen with Root.

True, I am not faulting Root for failing in that Ashes. I am just saying its series like those where you stand up and announce yourself to the world. Like Kohli did in 2012. While India got thrashed, he did something that made even Aussie commentators notice him and next tour we saw what he did, didn't inspire any win but there was a much more spirited performance from the team.

Can Root inspire this English side? I mean Morgan did it with ODI side, and he's not even their best ODI bat, so its not about how good a bat are you, its about how you stand up in pressure situation. I don't think I have seen Root done enough in those kind of situations. He could prove me wrong though, only time will tell.

 

[Robert]

I'm convinced that taking ther armband away from Chef will relieve pressure on him and turn him back into a run machine.

Here is my top seven:

Cook
Jennings
Hameed
Bairstow
Root (c)
Stokes
Buttler (w)

I think Moeen has gone backwards this series. He has been eclipsed as our best spinner by Rashid, in which case he has to hold down a place in the top six and I don't think he is quite good enough for that. He keeps getting out to stupid shots and he has played a lot too many tests for that now.

 

[Hasan123]

Cook isn't going to be around for much longer, don't see him breaking Sachins record like some pundits thought he could

 

[Mamoon]

True, I am not faulting Root for failing in that Ashes. I am just saying its series like those where you stand up and announce yourself to the world. Like Kohli did in 2012. While India got thrashed, he did something that made even Aussie commentators notice him and next tour we saw what he did, didn't inspire any win but there was a much more spirited performance from the team.

Can Root inspire this English side? I mean Morgan did it with ODI side, and he's not even their best ODI bat, so its not about how good a bat are you, its about how you stand up in pressure situation. I don't think I have seen Root done enough in those kind of situations. He could prove me wrong though, only time will tell.

He would have done well in Australia in 2014 and if it wasn't for the red-hot Johnson. Can't compare the 2012 Indian tour of Australia to the 2013-14 Ashes. Should do well in the next Ashes as well.

What are the alternatives though? perhaps the Weasleys, but Stokes is too emotional and Bairstow will have to give up the gloves.

Root is 100% certain to succeed Cook in my opinion.

 

[Rayyman]

He would have done well in Australia in 2014 and if it wasn't for the red-hot Johnson. Can't compare the 2012 Indian tour of Australia to the 2013-14 Ashes. Should do well in the next Ashes as well.

What are the alternatives though? perhaps the Weasleys, but Stokes is too emotional and Bairstow will have to give up the gloves.

Root is 100% certain to succeed Cook in my opinion.

Who cares if Stokes is too emotional. Captains imo should be aggressive. Look at guys like Imran, Ponting, McCullum, Clarke, Kohli. They were/are all really good captains. I can see Stokes motivating his team very well and everybody getting behind him. But yeah Stokes probably isn't being considered as captain. In that case, it should be Root.

 

[Mamoon]

Who cares if Stokes is too emotional. Captains imo should be aggressive. Look at guys like Imran, Ponting, McCullum, Clarke, Kohli. They were/are all really good captains. I can see Stokes motivating his team very well and everybody getting behind him. But yeah Stokes probably isn't being considered as captain. In that case, it should be Root.

Emotions are fine as long as you are able to control them. Kohli is emotional but also has good control on his emotions.

Stokes is a loose cannon. He plays with a lot of heart and passion, but when he loses the plot he loses it big time. He is the best all-rounder in my opinion and one of my favorite cricketers at present, but he is simply not cut for captaincy with his current attitude.

 

[Suleiman]

If Buttler nails down a permanent spot, he should be captain, but could be a while.

Root doesn't seem like a leader at all.

I was surprised to find out he is going to be a father soon as well, bechara khud bacha lagta hai

 

[Rayyman]

Emotions are fine as long as you are able to control them. Kohli is emotional but also has good control on his emotions.

Stokes is a loose cannon. He plays with a lot of heart and passion, but when he loses the plot he loses it big time. He is the best all-rounder in my opinion and one of my favorite cricketers at present, but he is simply not cut for captaincy with his current attitude.

Kohli is more experienced and 3 years older. Give Stokes a few years and I think he can be a better captain than Root.

 

[Cricfan4eva]

Emotions are fine as long as you are able to control them. Kohli is emotional but also has good control on his emotions.

Stokes is a loose cannon. He plays with a lot of heart and passion, but when he loses the plot he loses it big time. He is the best all-rounder in my opinion and one of my favorite cricketers at present, but he is simply not cut for captaincy with his current attitude.

Haha, times change don't they. Kohli was considered a loose canon once. But players do mature, Although its a given that Root will take over from Cook, there is little to suggest he will be a big change.

He's just not that kind of figure England need to be a ruthless test side, they actually have all bases covered and have a good core group to perform in most conditions. They just need an affirmative leader.

 

[kingusama92]

Root doesn't come across as a skipper.

BUT, he could be one of those leaders who "lead by example".

The problem is, Cook has been the same where he leads by example. They need a skipper who has the right qualities rather than being a great batsman or great bowler.

 

[HitWicket]

An area where James Taylor may have been in strong contention if he were still playing.

 

[Robert]

Stokes would be a terrible choice. He is an instinctual player like Botham and Flintoff. Make him skipper and his game will fall apart.

 

[Jabo]

Not sure if it's the correct time

England side is too poor
They still not sure who to persist with or not
Won't be surprised if Bell returns

Cook
?
Root
?/Bell
Bairstow
Stokes
Buttler (wk)
Ali
.
.
.

 

[Hawkeye]

They're going in the wrong direction.

Root is a top bat.

However, not every specialist can make a good leader. Root is not leadership material and it could prove to be horrible.

Both for his form and the team.

Why not give someone else the job who has aptitude for it?

But if they really do want to try Root, so be it. Can be a hidden gem, but I don't think it would work.

Jonny Bairstow to me looks like the tactician they need. Very clever and shrewd.

 

[Bilal7]

I also believe that Root is ready for the captaincy. He'll have Cook to guide him and most of the guys in the team are not Root's seniors, so he'll have their respect. Another option could be Stuart Broad, in a transitional role for a year or so, but that is a longshot. This would be my English team for the 2017 Ashes:

1) Cook
2) Hameed
3) Jennings
4) Root (c)
5) Ali
6) Stokes
7) Bairstow (wk)
8) Woakes
9) Rashid
10) Broad (vc)
11) Finn/Anderson/Ball

 

[Chrish]

Jeez English take series loss too seriously.. Should learn thing or two from Australia/ SC teams

 

[Mamoon]

Haha, times change don't they. Kohli was considered a loose canon once. But players do mature, Although its a given that Root will take over from Cook, there is little to suggest he will be a big change.

He's just not that kind of figure England need to be a ruthless test side, they actually have all bases covered and have a good core group to perform in most conditions. They just need an affirmative leader.

Kohli has matured a lot but I don't think he was at Stokes' level to begin with. If Stokes was a footballer, he would probably get a red card every game.

 

[Statsman]

Cook has got some really defensive tactics here. Root could be a good change.