JOE MUST TAKE ROOT AT 4

Trott: Let him bat where legend Sachin did

JOE ROOT should move back to No.4 in the Test team, according to Jonathan Trott.

Root has batted at three since the then skipper Alastair Cook asked him to last summer.

It is understood he was reluctant to return to a role he filled as a stopgap on the 2013-14 Ashes tour.

He agreed because there were few other alternatives, but following the emergence of openers Haseeb Hameed and Keaton Jennings last winter, a decision has to be made.

Now he is captain, Root will make the final call on the batting order and Trott, the man he replaced at No.3 in Australia, reckons four is his natural place. “Your premier batsman should always bat at four, like we had with KP,” said Trott. “Joe needs to go back down to four, he’s done his time at three.

“As captain it gives you more of a break. I’m not saying he can’t do it at three, but four is your premier place – your Jacques Kallis, Kevin Pietersen, Sachin Tendulkar.

“He accepted the challenge to bat at three because there wasn’t anyone else and did fantastically well. In one-dayers, three is great for Joe. Get him in against the new ball when the field is up and let him go, but in Test cricket four suits him.”

Root suffered a miserable return to red-ball cricket for Yorkshire against Hampshire, scoring just eight and two at No.3.

Durham’s Mark Wood is set to return to the England fold for the first time since ankle surgery.

England today name their 50-over squads to face Ireland, South Africa and for the Champions Trophy and there are unlikely to be any surprises.

Likely ODI squad v Ireland: Roy, Hales, Root, Morgan, Billings, Bairstow, Moeen, Willey, Rashid, Plunkett, Wood, Finn, Ball, Dawson. Likely ODI squad v South Africa

& Champions Trophy: Roy, Hales, Root, Morgan, Buttler, Stokes, Woakes, Moeen, Rashid, Willey, Wood, Billings, Bairstow, Plunkett, Finn.