Joe Root announced his plan to resign as England’s Test captain on Friday. Following England’s Test series losses to Australia and the West Indies, this comes as no surprise. England was thrashed 0-4 in the Ashes and then went on to lose the three-match Test series to West Indies 0-1.
With 27 Test victories, Root is the most successful England Test captain, surpassing Michael Vaughan, Sir Alastair Cook, and Sir Andrew Strauss.
“After returning from the Caribbean tour and having time to reflect, I have decided to step down as England Men’s Test captain. It has been the most challenging decision I have had to make in my career but having discussed this with my family and those closest to me; I know the timing is right,” said Root in an official statement released by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
“I am immensely proud to have captained my country and will look back on the past five years with enormous pride. It has been an honour to have done the job and to have been a custodian of what is the pinnacle of English cricket,” he added.
In 2017, Root was named England’s captain, succeeding Sir Alastair Cook. Root had guided England to a few notable victories, including a 4-1 series victory over India at home in 2018 and a 3-1 victory over South Africa on the road in 2020.
He made history in 2018 by becoming the first England men’s captain to win a Test series in Sri Lanka since 2001, a record he repeated in 2021 with a 2-0 triumph.
Root has already surpassed Cook as England’s all-time leading Test run-scorer, with 14 hundred as captain. His 5,295 runs as captain are the most by any England captain, putting him in fifth place behind Graeme Smith, Alan Border, Ricky Ponting, and Virat Kohli on the all-time list.
“I have loved leading my country, but recently it’s hit home how much of a toll it has taken on me and the impact it has had on me away from the game,” said Root.
“I am excited to continue representing the Three Lions and producing performances that will enable the team to succeed. I look forward to helping the next captain, my teammates and coaches in whatever way I can,” he added.
The three-match Test series between England and New Zealand will begin in June at Lord’s Cricket Ground.
