Root: It’s time to think like Chumbawamba!

FIRST came an Elvis Presley-based celebration after being encouraged to think like a rock star. Now Joe Root has invoked the spirit of another slightly less celebrated musical act in attempting to kickstart England’s misfunctioning white-ball machine.

‘It’s like that song,’ said Root after England’s one-day defeat by South Africa at Chester-le-Street. ‘Who was it by? Chumbawamba. You get knocked down and you get straight back up again. That is exactly how we need to go about things. Our dressing room has got a lot of experienced players who, like myself, have been through it all and seen the lowest of the low. We know how quickly things can change.’ Jos Buttler has suffered a nightmare start to his captaincy that has seen him lose five of his first seven games in charge. But Root insisted: ‘I don’t think you need look too deeply into it. Jos is going to be a great captain. Sometimes it does take time for things to bed in. ‘We’ve had a very busy time and a lot of players aren’t available with injury. There has to be an understanding of that. And senior players have to step up. We’ve all got to do our bit to turn this around.’