JOE’S GOT A COOL ED
Root and Smith fire England turnaround
JOE ROOT knows better than most that a lot can change in a year.
At the start of January, Root was face down on a dressing-room bench so ill he was unable to carry out his post-match duties and explain how England had coughed up the Ashes 4-0.
Fast forward to today and the Test captain is a picture of health and happiness with a first away series win under his belt and a team with seven wins in their last eight matches.
Just four members of that side in Sydney will take to the field in Colombo this morning for the Third Test with Sri Lanka, a sign it is not just the attitude and approach that has changed but the personnel too.
That department is now headed up by former England batsman and academic Ed Smith (below, with Root) and according to head coach Trevor Bayliss, it is no coincidence Root’s bold approach on the field has been embraced when the attitude is the same off it.
Bayliss said: “Ed’s been a really good addition to the selection process and offered some thoughtful ideas into the mix.
“It’s fair to say he’s one of the more intelligent selectors I’ve worked with and I think he’s studied and written about the subject quite a bit even before he got this job.
“He’s been a good man to discuss things with and even if you don’t agree with each other there is respect there.
“And I think it’s fair to say he is one for thinking outside the box, even perhaps more than Rooty. Ed has made a real push for positive and attacking style cricketers which has suited us and this year by and large it has worked.”
It is thought Smith’s relationship with Root ushered in a new age of squad focus rather than team focus, and the captain is delighted with the players he has been given this winter. He said: “Ed’s been very open to doing things differently from the outset and when we’ve said we were going to do things a certain way here, and when we selected the squad, it allowed us to play in that manner.
“We made some bold selections at times and generally they have come off very well.
“We also looked at who we think are the best 17 players and then how we best fit a team around them.
“It might be we have eight all-rounders but if they’re our best players then let’s play them.”