Joe Root will step in as the captain for England’s second Test against New Zealand after Ben Stokes was left out of the squad following his nightclub incident, also involving Gus Atkinson. Both Stokes and Atkinson were penalised for breaking team curfew. An investigation is also underway after Atkinson was almost punched by a rugby academy player. So safe to say, the build-up for the Oval Test has been far from ideal and on the eve of the game, Root was grilled by the media, and he was made to answer all the difficult questions.
Speaking of the team curfew, the restrictions were imposed on the England team after the debacle in the Ashes, where some England players were found indulging in binge drinking sessions and also visiting casinos on multiple occasions. Harry Brook, the white-ball captain, was also involved in a brawl with a bouncer during the New Zealand tour.
Ahead of the second Test against New Zealand, Root was asked whether there’s a drinking culture within the team and whether the Director of Cricket, Robert Key, should impose stricter restrictions. To this, the seasoned batter said there is no need for an alcohol ban as there is no drinking culture.
“I don’t necessarily think that’s the way to go. I don’t think there’s a drinking culture within our team. I think, as I said, there have been occasions where we’ve let ourselves down, and we’ve got things wrong. We have to accept that and move forward from that and learn from that, but I also think that when you work towards something for a long time, there should be opportunities and chances where you can celebrate that and enjoy that with the team,” Root told reporters in the pre-match press conference.
“Not everyone drinks anyway within our group, but you should be able to get together and celebrate that and spend that time. And some of my greatest memories and fondest memories have been in the dressing room afterwards,” he added.
‘Pick your time’
The 35-year-old, who also has a realistic chance of breaking multiple Sachin Tendulkar records in Tests, also added that when it comes to drinking, it all boils down to picking moments and the right time.
“So, that’s good fun and good, good stuff that you can do off the back of winning, and what you work towards for a long period of time, but you’ve got to pick the right times and the right places, and I think that’s the important thing,” said Root.
Root was England’s Test captain until 2022. He resigned from the post following the loss in the Ashes and was replaced by Stokes. He led England to 27 wins and, under his tenure, the team faced 26 defeats.
“I found I ended up being so consumed with everything,” said Root on Tuesday, when asked about his previous stint as the captain.
“I wasn’t the person I wanted to be, and it was the right time to step away. Not just because our performances weren’t where they needed to be. It was a great opportunity for a fresh start for English cricket and was absolutely the right decision,” he added.
