0-4 defeat out of home, in Australia. All the defeats were of humiliating in nature. This is enough for any board to change the setup and the ECB have ringed in the changes. Chris Silverwood, the head coach, Thorpe the batting coach and Ashley Giles have all been removed from their respective positions but the most surprising part was the continuance with Joe Root as the captain.

It really is tough for most of the England cricket team’s management to survive after such a drubbing. The English fans were baying for blood. They are not stirred until England have lost the Ashes for it is the Ashes that they care about and no other series or even tournaments even come close. Even World Cup takes a backseat for the English fans. Naturally, they cannot withstand such an annihilation to the old enemy. Structural problems still remain with English cricket but this is something that the ECB must be seen doing.

Silverwood, Thorpe and Giles removal

Silverwood’s removal must have been the easiest of the lot. He was the one who found positives in a 2.5 days loss at Melbourne when England were bowled out for 65. No one in their right mind you have even thought that there were any silver lining but the fact that Silverwood somehow saw one beggars belief. He must have ideally resigned after the debacle but he chose to stay on but Andrew Strauss could not resist the pressure that was building on him and the ECB. The next was Thorpe. Batting was the biggest disaster in Australia. Except for Bairstow, no one else managed to score a hundred. Even fifties were few and far between. Malan who started the series brightly, faded away quickly and so did Root. Stokes, Hameed, Burns & Pope were quite miserable throughout the series and Thorpe wasn’t able to improve their performance either.

There were also reports about Thorpe’s drinking culture but that is besides the point. His fate was already sealed when England did not score more than 300 runs even once.

Ashley Giles who is credited with removing the role of national cricketer and handing over the entire selection to Silverwood was the third to leave. It wasn’t a surprise at all.

Does Joe Root really deserve to continue?

However, what was surprising was the retention of Joe Root as the captain. In 3 attempts, Root has not managed to win a single Ashes series. Since he is not the captain of the white ball format, he will be judged based on his Ashes success. He had a chance to win the Ashes in England but he fluffed that. It was a series that marked the return of Smith and Warner. If only Paine had been a little prudent in the use of reviews, Australia would have won the Ashes outright.

Towards the early and middle part of his captaincy career, his batting suffered a lot. So much so that an average of 54 came down to 47. Off late, he had a fabulous year but that is besides the point. The question is how is Root allowed to continue? What must have worked in his favour?

Are there no alternatives?

The first rather obvious one is that there is no alternative. Ben Stokes is not exactly keen to take on the captaincy chores. He has just returned from several injuries and also from mental breakdown. He does not want to take that extra responsibility. The rest did not cover themselves in glory with continued failures. Broad and Anderson are the other alternatives but Broad is no more a sure starter and Anderson is 40 years old. All said and done, it still is a mystery how Root is allowed to continue. Back in 2011, when India lost 8 tests outside the country on the bounce, Dhoni was allowed for continue just because there is no alternative. Shouldn’t boards take efforts to build leadership? Root has been the captain for more than 5 years and as Ian Chappell used to say, captains have their shelf life and 5 years is long.

Root has had a decent captaincy record

It is not that Root hasn’t had success as captain. England have won 5 consecutive tests in Sri Lanka and they won their last series in South Africa rather convincingly. Ofcourse, Sri Lanka are not the same team any longer but to win 5 games in Asia is not something any English captain will be known for. Having said that, he also has the ignominy of losing in West Indies and New Zealand. Not to mention England’s record in India and Pakistan. It is also worth mentioning that Root won just 2 out of the 12 tests in 2021 and lost 9. That is a statistic that will not sit well with any board.

Conclusion to ECB have ringed in the changes

The other terminations are not difficult to fathom but the continued reliance on Root for lack of options will be troubling for England. Root himself must have resigned owing moral responsibility for not able to win a single Ashes series. It is difficult to accept that England is short of captaincy credential. The failure of the ECB to groom someone to takeover from Root after all these years is startling. Probably they had Bairstow on their minds but it was the ECB who destroyed his confidence by playing Buttler above him. Root has had a long innings.

England needs Root the batsman more than Root the captain. ECB will do well to find another captain before the start of the next Ashes which is in 16 months. Australia will want to repeat their achievement and will want to retain the Ashes. It will be Cummins’s first away Ashes and he will want to prove himself. Root is certainly not the player on whom England can trust for one more Ashes. England will dearly want to win the Ashes in their home.

What do you think of the changes made by ECB? Does Root deserve to continue?

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The role of a cricket captain

Cricket, like any other team sport, requires strong leadership to succeed. The captain of a cricket team is responsible for more than just making on-field decisions. They are the face of the team, the link between the players and the management and the driving force behind the team’s success. In this article, I will dwell on the various roles and responsibilities of a cricket captain. The role of a cricket captain. On-field decision making One of the most crucial roles of a cricket captain is to make tactical decisions on the field. They have to read the pitch, the conditions and the opposition team and make decisions that can swing the game in their team's favour. Once these things are studied, analysed and accounted for, the crucial decision of what to do if the toss is won must be decided. Here the captain can invite free and frank discussion with the team but the ultimate decision rests with the captain. There are so many instances of the captain being vilified for choosing the wrong option after winning the toss. The most famous instance is that of Nasser Hussain opting to bowl at the Brisbane Gabba all those years ago only for Hayden, Langer and Ponting to pummel the English bowlers into submission. Once, the team is on the field, he is all alone. Sure, the captain can always consult with the teammates but the flow of the game will be such that he will be required to take instant decisions based on nothing more than a hunch. The captain has to decide which bowler to use, when to change the field and when to declare or set a target. A good captain can sense the momentum of the game and make decisions that can turn the tide in their team's favour. Team selection: The captain plays a vital role in team selection. They have to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their team and pick the right players to fill the various positions. They have to consider the pitch and the conditions while selecting the team. They also have to factor in the form and fitness of the players before making a decision. A captain who can pick the right team can give their team a significant advantage. Being the captain is a thankless job. Far too many times, they are required to take some tough decisions. That is the reason Ganguly’s and Kohli’s decision of leaving the highest wicket-taker of their sides out of the playing eleven was hard to digest. They were based on sound cricketing logic rather than anything else. Motivation and inspiration: A captain is also responsible for motivating and inspiring their team. They have to instill a sense of belief and confidence in their players, especially during tough times. A good captain can lead by example, displaying a positive attitude and working hard on and off the field. They have to encourage their players to give their best and never give up. Captains lead by example is a phrase often heard in cricketing circles. It is not without reason. Motivated and performing captains often inspire the entire team to achieve greater heights that they may not have otherwise. Media and public relations: A cricket captain is also the face of the team in the media and public. They have to attend press conferences and interviews and handle questions from journalists and fans. They have to present a positive image of the team and communicate the team's goals and objectives. They also have to handle criticism and negativity in a professional manner. Captains can never lose their composure. The media may invent non-existent rivalries or rifts. Captains will have to deal with them calmly. Role model and mentor: Finally, a cricket captain is a role model and mentor for their players. They have to set an example in terms of discipline, work ethic, and team spirit. They have to mentor the younger players and help them grow and develop their skills. They have to create a culture of excellence and teamwork within the team. Far too often, Asian teams, especially Indian teams have this habit of seniors and juniors. The Indian teams of 70s, 80s and 90s were faction driven. Juniors were not treated well and as equal by the seniors. The situation was quite bad until the turn of the millennium. Ganguly changed all that. Now, it is a team of equals. Wrapping up the role of a cricket captain In conclusion, the role of a cricket captain is multifaceted and complex. They have to make tactical decisions on the field, select the right team, motivate and inspire their players, handle media and public relations, and be a role model and mentor for their team. A good captain can make a significant difference to their team's success, and their leadership skills can be the difference between winning and losing.

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