Root ready for the leading role
YORKSHIRE trio Jonny Bairstow, Gary Ballance and Joe Root have been named in the England squad for the first Investec Test Match of the summer.
Root, who was appointed England’s Test captain in February, will lead the team out for the first time at Lord’s on Thursday.
Root was looking forward to stepping up and said: “I still want the guys to go out and enjoy their cricket.”
A new dad, as of January, life is changing on and off the pitch – and he is out to make the most of it.
“I think it’s important to be yourself in terms of leadership,” he added.
“I might be slightly more serious, but I want to have fun and the guys to have fun playing out there.
“The more you can create that environment where they are able to enjoy it, the more relaxed they are and generally the better they play.”
Middlesex seamer Toby RolandJones, who made his one-day international debut last month at Lord’s against Ireland, is the only uncapped player in the squad and is in contention to make his England Test debut on his home county ground.
The 29-year-old has taken 22 wickets in the Specsavers County Championship during this campaign.
Durham’s Mark Wood returns to the Test squad for the first time since October 2015.
Jake Ball (right knee) and Chris Woakes (side strain) were not available for selection because of injury.
James Whitaker, the national selector, said: “There is great excitement around the first Test of the summer and with the start of a new era under the captaincy of Joe Root this is an exciting time for English cricket.
“Toby Roland-Jones is a player we have been monitoring for quite some time and deserves his chance after a strong couple of seasons with Middlesex in red ball cricket.
“He came close last year when he was named in the Test squad against Pakistan in July.
“Toby has been in good form this campaign and his ability to seam the ball along with the fact that he can score useful runs down the order gives us a number of options.
“Yorkshire’s Gary Ballance could play his first Test since October.
“He has been in fantastic touch with the bat in the Championship averaging over 100.
“He deserves to be included and we feel that he will add maturity and experience to our middle-order.” Joe Root (Yorkshire, captain) Moeen Ali (Worcestershire) James Anderson (Lancashire) Jonathan Bairstow ( Yorkshire, wk) Gary Ballance (Yorkshire) Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire) Alastair Cook (Essex) Liam Dawson (Hampshire) Keaton Jennings (Durham) Toby Roland-Jones (Middlesex) Ben Stokes (Durham) Mark Wood (Durham)