‘The best thing that happened to him was not being captain anymore’ – Mark Butcher unhappy with Joe Root’s Test captaincy return

Former England batter Mark Butcher has questioned the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) decision to reappoint Joe Root as the Test captain following Ben Stokes’ retirement from the format. The former left-handed batter believes handing the leadership back to Root is a step backwards and could undo the progress England have made in recent years.

Stokes announced his retirement from Test cricket late last month, prompting the ECB to reinstate Root as skipper. While the experienced batter previously led England between 2017 and 2022, his first stint as captain yielded mixed results, with the team enduring one of its toughest phases before the arrival of Brendon McCullum and Rob Key ushered in a new era.

Butcher said that England’s aggressive approach under Stokes and McCullum was a direct response to the struggles during Root’s tenure as captain.

“Ben Stokes, Brendon McCullum, Rob Key were the reaction to Joe Root’s captaincy the first time around,” Butcher told Sky Sports.

“This revolutionising of the way we play Test match cricket came off the back of 17 Test matches with only one victory under Joe.”

Butcher also expressed concern that captaincy responsibilities could once again affect Root’s batting, which has flourished since he stepped down from the leadership role.

“The best thing that happened to him and his game was not being captain any more. His batting since has been on a different level, and I rather hoped it would stay that way, and he would be a loyal lieutenant to Harry Brook or whoever they decided was going to get the job on a permanent basis.”

Michael Atherton backs Root over Harry Brook

Former England captain Michael Atherton acknowledged that Root may not be the ideal long-term solution but believes he is a safer choice than Brook at this stage. Brook’s bar brawl incident during England’s tour of New Zealand last year is believed to have affected his leadership prospects despite the batter later being fined.

Atherton pointed out that Root’s leadership flaws were visible even during England’s recent Test against New Zealand.

“Root’s limitations were revealed in the Test against New Zealand at the Oval last month, when it didn’t take long for his usual equanimity to disappear,” Atherton wrote in the Times.

“But needs must, and Root was never likely to turn down the opportunity to help out. While Root’s appointment is not ideal, it is a better outcome than having Brook at the helm,” he added.

England will now shift their focus to the upcoming three-match Test series against Pakistan, which is scheduled to begin on August 19 at Headingley.