The Sports Buff ⚽️ ⚾️ 🏈

In Joe Root’s defence. When Yorkshire batsman and England’s highest run scorer Root was given the test captaincy, he was deemed as someone who failed in the role, at the end of his tenure at least anyway.

Sports fans, that’s unbelievably harsh. Let’s not forget that it was Joe Root who bravely tried to evolve from the Anderson and Broad partnership.

Critics would say it was too bold, but one has to admire the thinking behind it. England’s test team at the time was developing into a very young side.

Dom Bess and Ollie Pope for example were two players who were in their mid 20’s and had vital roles in the England side.

Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley were the new opening pairing for The Three Lions too.

Then England captain Joe Root was on to something, but when the losses started to stack up, the ECB changed plan and captain.

The tactics changed and 2019 World Champions England, opted to play an attacking attractive brand of cricket on the test scene.

This was the birth of Bazball, named after their coach Brendan McCullum, but truth be told the man himself hated the phrase.

With Bazball, what wasn’t very well documented was that England went back to type and opted to play more experienced players.

Rehan Ahmed wasn’t given a go when Jack Leach was injured, nor was Dom Bess, but with how badly he was treated, I don’t see his test career resuming any time soon.

England of course called up Moeen Ali, who unretired himself. That in itself proves my point. Why am I even talking about this, some quarters may be asking.

When England changed its captain, they changed their strategy in the test arena. Now some two years later, they’re facing a similar dilemma but in the limited overs format.

When it came to evolving the test team, they went back to type and opted for tried and tested. England can’t do that now though. There are a few players who won’t make the next World Cup.

I will end as I start, in Joe Root’s defence.

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