Australian legend Ian Chappell has fired shots at England captain Joe Root after his tactics have come under the scanner in the first two Ashes Test. The visitors have suffered a humiliating defeat at the Gabba and stare at another loss in the pink-ball Test.
The English side has looked short of plans as the Aussie batters came down hard against their pacers. The 78-year-old minced no words while criticising Joe Root and called him an ordinary captain.
“Root is an excellent batter but a poor captain. It would not be unfair to describe him as an ordinary and unlucky captain. Rarely do you find a long-term captain who is lacking in imagination but is also lucky. A fortunate captain is usually lucky because the players believe he is some kind of miracle-worker and things tend to work out because of the team’s belief,” Ian Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNCricinfo.
Since taking over the baton from Alastair Cook in 2017, Joe Root has captained England in 57 Test matches. He has won 27 matches and has lost on 22 occasions.
Pat Cummins will learn from his mistakes: Ian Chappell
Ian Chappell reckons Aussie pacer Pat Cummins is better than his England counterpart in terms of leadership skills. Comparing the captaincy styles of the two, the former Australian skipper stated Cummins is an inspirational leader.
“Cummins acquired the appropriate nickname Postman Pat before he was appointed captain. He is accorded this handle because he regularly delivers, often providing Australia with a wicket when it’s needed. There is a lot to like about Cummins’ appointment, and he certainly delivered in his first captaincy Test with a five-wicket innings haul at the Gabba,” Chappell said.
“Cummins will improve as a captain because that is what good leaders do: they learn from their mistakes and try to avoid making them in the future,” he concluded.
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