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Joe Root says he is taking the England Test captaincy on a “game-by-game basis” but admits he has been “slightly envious” of Ben Stokes for getting to work alongside Brendon McCullum.
Root, who led England in a record 64 Tests between 2017 and 2022, will make a remarkable return to the role in Wednesday’s second Test against New Zealand following Ben Stokes’ involvement in an incident in a London nightclub.
The 35-year-old said he is in a “very different place” to when he gave up the captaincy, since which he has played solely as a batter under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.
“I have really enjoyed the last couple of days working with Baz in a slightly different space,” Root said.
“That is one thing, in a small way, in a good way – I was slightly envious of that opportunity to work with someone like Baz in this sort of capacity.
“It has been really cool the last couple of days.”
Stokes, a close friend of Root’s, was left out of England’s squad after he breached the team’s midnight curfew the night after victory in the first Test and was present when a member of England’s security staff was struck by a Saracens rugby player.
Root said he has spoken to Stokes since last week’s incident but he wanted to keep their conversations private. He maintained Stokes still holds the respect of the dressing room.
Root’s previous tenure ended with a run of one win in 17 Tests and he said he would have rated the chances of him becoming skipper again a “0.1% chance” earlier this year.
Last year, he said the “ship had sailed” in regards to him becoming England’s white-ball captain.
Speaking on Wednesday, Root said: “Let’s not look beyond this week.
“That’s the most important thing, trying to deliver a really good performance this week.
“It’s quite a young group of players. So, [I want] to offer my experience in that capacity and focus purely on trying to deliver this week.”
Root has been chosen over vice-captain Harry Brook, who was overlooked amid his own off-field controversy in Wellington when he was clocked by a bouncer the night before a white-ball game last winter.
He will lead an inexperienced England team, including debutants Jordan Cox and Sonny Baker this week.
It is still unclear whether wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, whose wife is expecting their second child, will be available. If not, a third debutant, Somerset’s James Rew, will play.
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Root has previously said he stepped down as skipper because he had a “very unhealthy relationship” with the job, but said he only had a “little think” before confirming he would return this time.
“The only thinking that came to my mind is what is the best thing for this team, and is it going to have a big effect on me and my personal life, and which outweighed the other,” he said.
Speaking of his previous tenure, he added: “We played around 20 Test matches in those Covid environments and watched the rest of the world go back to normality around you.
“You are living a very different way to the rest of society.
“Over time that took its toll on the group but also myself.
“I found I ended up being so consumed with everything 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.
“It is going to be cool to experience it this side of it, the captaincy side of it with Baz and with this coaching group.
“I have never had more fun and got more out of a group of coaches than this one.”
