ROOT BOLD OVER
Joe: I’ll be captain courageous
from DEAN WILSON in Galle
FEARLESS Joe Root has promised a bold new approach to life on the sub-continent.
It will be based around courage, adventure and taking risks. But that will also spell despair for Stuart Broad if he is dropped for the first time in a decade for the first Test against Sri Lanka starting in Galle tomorrow.
Root remains undecided on his final 11 with decisions to be made over his No.3, his wicketkeeper and the seam bowler who will partner Jimmy Anderson.
But he is adamant something has to change to bring about some success away from home.
And on a pitch that will certainly help spin more than seam the skipper is not afraid to ask 123-Test veteran Broad to stand down.
“We have done things in a certain way the last three or four times we have come to the sub-continent and it hasn’t worked,” said Root. “We have got to be bold.
Risk
“We have to try things slightly differently. We must be adventurous, show courage and maybe take the odd risk that we haven’t done before if we are going to give ourselves a good chance of winning.
“I am not scared of doing that. This group of players are not scared of doing that. We are not scared of the surfaces and we are not scared of it spinning.
“The group is fully aware that for the team to win over here it is not going to be 11 guys going out and winning three Test matches – it is going to be a squad performance.”
Sam Curran is expected to replace Broad and Root said: “It is always hard to leave out someone who has taken over 430 wickets.
‘‘But for Stuart it wouldn’t so much be a case of being dropped, it would be for the balance of the team or for the situation with the surface where we go with a different formula.’’
Root is also yet to settle on a keeper after Jonny Bairstow was ruled out by an ankle injury picked up while playing football.
Ben Foakes has emerged as a strong contender to make his debut if England take the positive option of Moeen Ali at three.
With spin set to play such a huge part Foakes must gobble up every chance that comes his way, while Moeen will take the attack to Rangana Herath and his fellow spinners with the bat.
It also makes sense to provide plenty of spin support with Jack Leach and Adil Rashid completing a three-pronged threat that will cover all bases.
Root added: “We’re due, aren’t we? If you look at it that way. We’ve had a disappointing couple of winters now but we’ve given ourselves a really good chance this time round.
“To tour, play on contrasting pitches and have a number of different options to turn to could be quite a crucial thing. We are in a strong position in that respect.”