Chris Stocks discovers that England’s new Test captain has no problems with having to miss early season games
For all the talk and controversy about England players being rested for the first part of the County Championship season, Joe Root, for one, is adamant time away from the game will reap long-term benefits.
Over the past few months Root, who missed Yorkshire’s opening two Championship games, has had to grapple with the twin responsibilities of becoming a father for the first time and being appointed England’s new Test captain.
Ahead of the busiest-ever international summer – it starts with an ODI against Ireland in Bristol a week today and ends on September 29 – and then a winter that includes back-to-back tours of Australia and New Zealand, the 26-year-old has valued the time off he has spent with wife Carrie and baby son Alfred.
“There has been a lot of talk about guys missing Championship cricket and how you are supposed to get ready for a summer of international cricket if you are not playing, but for me it was really beneficial,” says Root, who made just ten runs in his first match of the season for Yorkshire at Hampshire.
“It might not have shown in my performances this week but, in terms of what is coming in the next 12 months, the schedule is manic and it’s going to be important for me to spend a month with my son, Carrie and family – I’m sure that’ll benefit me in the long run.”
Root has more than two months to wait for his first Test as captain – England take on South Africa at Lord’s in early July.
However, he is relishing the first part of the summer dominated by white-ball cricket and sees England harbouring realistic hopes of winning their first major 50-over title when they host the Champions Trophy in June.
Under the leadership of Eoin Morgan, England have transformed their one-day form since the last World Cup. There was no surprise then that there were actually no surprises when they announced their squad for the tournament this week.
“It’s been a pretty settled squad for a while now,” says Root. “It’s a very exciting side and it’s important we get off to a good start against Ireland and then take that forward into the summer.”
One welcome addition is Mark Wood, the Durham fast bowler who has returned from his third major ankle operation.
If he can stay fit, Root knows Wood could make all the difference for England in the Champions Trophy.
“He’s obviously a very skilful bowler but that raw pace is obviously a huge weapon in limited-overs cricket,” said Root. “Up front if you can bowl as quickly as he can and move the ball laterally then he can get us off to a good start.
“We’ve seen when he’s played that he can make a big impact and can wrest a game in your favour in the space of two or three overs. When you’ve got that in your side and squad, it can only bolster it and make it even better.
“But for us to win that Champions Trophy and have a successful summer we’ll have to have a successful squad and it’s not just 11 players who will win it for us.
“It might be that someone has to come in after missing the first few games and put in a match-winning performance under real pressure so we know that will be really important.
“Whether you’re playing or not, the mentality to come in and play well under pressure will be crucial in winning the tournament.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to do something special as a side. Of course Test cricket will be really important, too, and we have to make sure that after such a big tournament guys will be switched on and performing well because once that’s out the way everyone will naturally turn their attention to Test cricket.”
The four-match series against South Africa will be Root’s first leading the side since he took over from Alastair Cook. West Indies are then the opponents for three Tests before the biggest series of them all – the Ashes in Australia next winter.
Root, visiting his old primary school in Dore, Sheffield, on behalf of the Chance to Shine charity, was speaking in the classroom where as a kid he would be told off for looking out the window and dreaming of playing for England.
Now Root is preparing to captain his country – the ultimate dream but one which he admits he has not thought too deeply about just yet.
“It’s very hard to actually do anything just now,” he says. “I don’t want to feel like I’m over-prepared or ready now and then miss out somewhere down the line when it unfolds in front of my eyes. I’d much rather gather momentum into that first Test so everything is fresh in my mind. It’s difficult to gauge the best preparation with such a big time frame to work with.”
Root admits he has read a few books on captaincy, although he adds: “I don’t want to go into it with too many pre-conceived ideas.”
But he has had a highly-constructive chat with Michael Vaughan, England’s 2005 Ashes-winning captain who also attended Dore Primary and played at Root’s club, Sheffield Collegiate.
“One thing he said was what worked for him,” says Root. “He used to have a metaphorical cap which he would take off when he was fielding and put on his peg if you like and put a different one on when he went out to bat so that he felt that was him as a batsman and him as a captain.
“Whether that would work for me I don’t know but he seemed successful. I will speak to others along the way and find different things that might work for me.
“It is always nice to get a little bit of an insight into an ex player or captain who has been there and done it all.”
For Root, there is much to be done over the coming months but he is looking ahead with optimism – and with good reason too
Joe Root was visiting Dore Primary School to launch Yorkshire Tea National Cricket Week with Chance to Shine. This year it runs June 19-23, sign up now at www.chancetoshine.org/ncw_signups
This piece originally featured in The Cricket Paper, April 28 2017
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