Graves: You could feel pride in him
job, which can weigh very heavily indeed on its holder.
Everything in Root’s record suggests he will be OK in the role but, for all that, Strauss and Co will be keeping their fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong.
Certainly the fact that he will not be asked to captain in one-day cricket, where Eoin Morgan will keep his job, will help. Also dropping him to No 4 in the batting order would be beneficial.
Plenty of people are predicting that he will be an instinctive, aggressive and successful captain in the style of Michael Vaughan, right.
Root has suggested he would be “aggressive but relaxed as well and hopefully able to think on my feet”.
While comparisons between Vaughan and Root 655 - 53 - 4,594 - 1,477 -
Root’s cap number when he made his Test debut in 2012 in Nagpur Test appearances Test runs Runs scored in 2016, four short of Michael Vaughan’s English record for a calendar year
52.80 - 6- 28.95 - 254 - 11 - 27 - 15 - 65 -
Batting average Number of positions he has batted in the order - 2,3,4,5,6 and 7 Percentage conversion rate of 50s into hundreds Highest Test score, versus Pakistan in 2016 Centuries Half-centuries Wickets taken Catches held
are probably lazy – based on their Sheffield roots more than anything else – the hope is that Root will bring a little more of the gambler’s eye to Tests.
That should be a better fit with head coach Trevor Bayliss than it was for Cook, who tended towards being conservative when his back was against the wall. Root will have to keep his mind ticking, his feet moving and his bat swinging in all three formats of the game and match his contemporaries Virat Kohli, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson, who have all elevated their numbers since taking over the captaincy of their countries.
Root has to follow suit. He will have to do it juggling the pressures of a new family, monitor a back condition which troubles him from time to time, and score a stack of runs in one-day cricket.
It is a big ask but no one is better placed to deal with those demands. England’s director of cricket, canvassed opinion throughout the Test side as well as consulting the coaching staff and Root was the unanimous choice.
“Joe is universally respected by his team-mates, passionate about driving the Test team forward and extremely excited about the prospect of leading his country,” said Strauss.
“I’m also delighted that Ben Stokes will take over from Joe as vice-captain of the team. He has real presence and influence within the team environment that serve as a great source of support for Joe.
“I have no doubts that the responsibility will also help Ben to continue his rapid rise as a world class all-rounder.”
Root has little experience of captaincy with just four firstclass matches leading his county Yorkshire under his belt.
But former England captain Mike Atherton believes he has the tools to make a success of the job.
“He is going to be tested in ways he hasn’t been tested before. He’s no longer just Joe Root, he will be Joe Root, England captain. And with that comes all kinds of added responsibility,” said Atherton.
“But he is a singular, driven individual, one of the best players in the world and highly respected in the dressing room. He’s also got a sunny, upbeat personality and they are all good places to start.”
Michael Vaughan, another former England captain, added his endorsement.
“People who say Joe is not quite ready are talking nonsense. He’s DRIVE TIME: Stokes will benefit from being Root’s new No 2 driven and got the right attitude,” said Vaughan.
“He’s ready-made for the England captaincy.”
Root will not start in the role until July 7 with the first Test of the summer against South Africa and will have only seven Tests – four against the Proteas and three against West Indies – before taking his side to defend the Ashes Down Under.
Root received a phone call from ECB chairman Colin Graves on Sunday night after Strauss had completed the formal process.
The former Yorkshire chairman, who will formally unveil Root at Headingley tomorrow, said the new captain cannot wait to get started.
“Joe is the perfect choice for England Test captain and when I spoke to him you could feel the excitement and sense the pride.” And Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon described Root as “a born leader.”