English Test skipper Joe Root has stated that the Three Lions are going into a phase in Test cricket now where the rest-and-rotation policy will be left behind, with all the players available for selection. He also expressed his desire to be part of the English outfit in the T20 World Cup.
Ever since the beginning of the winter tour of Sri Lanka and India, England have religiously followed the rest-and-rotation policy. In the last three series, never have all the players been available for Test selection and it has impacted England’s performance negatively. They have lost four Tests out of eight, winning only three. They even lost the home series against New Zealand after holding the fort for as long as 22 years against them at home. Not to forget, the shambolic display against India where they were beaten black and blue 1-3.
Now, with England set to take on India and Australia in the next 10 Tests, Root has made it clear that it’s about the time when the rest-and-rotation policy will be left behind as they will field their strongest side starting with the five-match Test series against India in August.
“We are coming into a time now where rest and rotation is put behind us. Hopefully, if everyone is fit, we are going to have our best team available for what is to follow. That’s really exciting and something I’m very much looking forward to. We have ten very hard Test matches against two brilliant opposition coming up but it is a great opportunity for us to play some strong cricket and if everyone is fit and available we will have a good team ourselves,” Root was quoted as saying by ‘ESPNcricinfo’.
He added that keeping in mind the Ashes, it’s paramount for the side to be at its best and, for that, they will need to have their strongest side on the ground.
“I’d like to think that, over the next five Test matches, we’ll be trying to play our strongest side or have our strongest squad available for those games. This is, I suppose, what you do it for: to ready yourself for this lead-in and for in particular that Ashes. To make sure everyone’s peaking for that, and these big games.”
The inaugural edition of the WTC came to an end recently when New Zealand defeated India in the final in Southampton. Root said that he’s looking forward to the next WTC cycle and doesn’t want to see the final as a viewer.
“Watching the WTC final and not being part of it, it makes you want to be a part of something quite special like that. We have an opportunity now to go a bit further and better than we did the first time out. I’m looking forward to hopefully starting well with a full squad of players to pick from.”
With a phenomenal performance in the ODI series opener against Sri Lanka, Joe Root has left everyone enamoured. Eoin Morgan, the team’s white-ball skipper, had stated that Root’s inclusion in the T20I side cannot be ruled out yet. The English no.3 expressed his desire to be part of the squad that travels to the Middle East, later this year.
“Every player wants to be part of that squad,” Root said. “It looks like a brilliant team to be a part of. As someone that’s currently outside of it, they’re playing some wonderful cricket. It looks as strong as it ever has done in the format. And whoever is in that final squad going into that World Cup will be full of confidence because they know that they deserve to be there.”
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