JOE RIGHT SAID FRED Flintoff backs Root to stay on

ANDREW FLINTOFF insists there is no point dumping Joe Root as skipper – because there’s nobody ready to replace him.

The ex-Test all-rounder believes the selectors will have to stay loyal to their struggling captain who is suffering both in the field and at the crease.

Root, 28, has slumped out of the top 10 batting rankings and seen his Test average dive to just 24.7 during 2019.

He is desperate to get some runs during the current tour of New Zealand having endured a miserable start to a long winter away from home with defeat in the opening Test.

Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes are the only two realistic options to take over the leadership if things continue to go badly for a Test team which failed to regain The

Ashes during the summer and has been overshadowed by the World Cup-winning efforts of the ODI brigade.

But Buttler is not certain of his place in the five-day team while there are concerns that the extra responsibility could upset Stokes’ performances with bat and ball.

And Flintoff (above) whose own form suffered badly when he endured a short and unsuccessful time as captain, said: “Joe’s had a rough time and the knives are out.

“I’ve been in that position but the captain is only as good as his side and the England team is not in a good position right now.

“People are calling for him to go but who is going to replace him? Ben Stokes? Not for me, not at the moment anyway.

“Ben has been a quite incredible performer for England this year and you want to give him the freedom to continue improving his game and not burden him with the captaincy at the moment. So who else is there? No one stands out to me right now.

“Joe needs time to sort things out. I found that when I was playing well then the captaincy was a pleasure.

“But the flip side is when you are not performing and chipping in with runs or wickets it makes it such a hard place.

“You are always searching for things to put right and you can’t switch off with the captaincy on your shoulders.

“You sit in the dressing room knowing you are not contributing as a player and it makes the captaincy much tougher. Joe will be desperate to get back in the runs. “He will be getting his head down and working hard to put things right with his own game. If he can just get some runs it will have a knock-on effect with the captaincy as well.” On the calls for young bowlers Matt Parkinson and Saqib Mahmood to get their England chance in New Zealand, Flintoff said: “It’s always important to start planning for the future and giving youngsters the chance to show what they can do.

“I’m all for Parkinson and Mahmood to play eventually because they are two exciting Lancashire lads.

“But I’m not sure the time is right just now. Stuart Broad was England’s best bowler in The Ashes. You sensed he was playing for his place and he really turned up.

“Jimmy Anderson is going to be a tough call next year. But there will come a point in the not too distant future when you will have to make a decision – but I don’t think that time is now.

“Jofra Archer is bedding into the side and needs to keep gaining experience.”