Joe Root is entirely focused on winning the third Test match at Melbourne. He is not willing to hear any outside noise and is unfazed by the criticism over his captaincy. England’s loss in the first two Tests has put his captaincy under the scanner but Root is not ready to break a sweat just yet.
Speaking to The West Australian, Joe Root made it clear that his main goal now is to win the Melbourne Test and keep his team alive in the series. Regarding the chatter and the outside noise, Root said people are entitled to have their own opinion.
“The only thing I am worried about is winning this week. Starting well and making sure we get that first hour right. It’s hard to look beyond that at the minute. External comments – they are entitled to their opinion. But ultimately we have to look after our own house and make sure that as a group we’re doing what we need to do. It doesn’t faze me,”
Former captains Ricky Ponting and Michael Atherton have said that Root should not be the Test captain if he fails to win the ongoing Ashes series. Michael Vaughan meanwhile said that the current England Test squad does not have his able replacement.
Joe Root addressed his statement about the England bowlers, conceding that his assessment was honest.
Was Asked Some Direct Questions And I Have Answered Them: Joe Root
“I was asked some direct questions after the game about our length and I answered them. If you had asked me about our batting, I would have said something similar. That’s just where we are as a team. It’s working alongside them, it’s not a dictatorship, making sure together we are happy with how things are going. Every now and then we don’t agree with everything, that’s fine.”
England now have lost 11 Test matches on the trot on Australian soil after their recent loss at Adelaide. There are reports that England are likely to make as many as four changes in the Boxing-Day Test.
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