Former England batter Mark Butcher says the reappointment of Joe Root as Test captain is a ‘retrograde step’, following the departures of Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.
Root’s captaincy was announced on Thursday, July 30, with former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming also confirmed as England’s new head coach.
Only one win out of his final 17 matches was Root’s previous record as England skipper, something he’ll hope to improve on.
However, Butcher seems doubtful that this reappointment is a step in the right direction for England’s Test team, who begin the Test series against Pakistan on August 19.
Didn’t go well last time
Butcher, a Sky Sports pundit who has played more than 70 Test matches for England, said: “Sadly, I’m not surprised.
“I was hoping that was a decision they weren’t going to make.
“Joe has already captained England 65 times now after that game at The Oval in the middle of that chaotic New Zealand series.
“Ben Stokes, Brendon McCullum, Rob Key were the reaction to Joe Root’s captaincy the first time around.
“This revolutionising of the way we play Test match cricket came off the back of 17 Test matches with only one victory under Joe.”
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Retrograde step
With a poor finish to his previous captaincy, Butcher suggested that Root is a much better player when he isn’t in charge of his team.
Butcher said: “Joe was completely wrung out at the end of his time as captain for five years.
“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.
“I think it’s a retrograde step for the team when they had an opportunity to go forward again having learned the lessons of the recent past under Stokes and McCullum.
“I cannot agree with that as a call.
“Joe is a brilliant player, absolutely sensational, there’s nothing that you can say against him on that level.
“I just don’t think it’s the best move for him to be captain at this moment in time, or at any other moment in time actually.”
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Doull is a fan
Former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull is a much bigger fan of the appointments and believes that his former team-mate Fleming will create a great coach-captain partnership with Root.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Doull said: “You’ll see something different from Stephen Fleming.
“McCullum was a good appointment at the time.
“England cricket needed unlocking, it needed freedom, but after 18 months they needed a bit more coaching to improve once that structure was unlocked.
“That is what Stephen Fleming will bring.
“He’s very structured, he’s a real methodical thinker about the game, but also quite innovative.
“You can see that with the success he’s had in T20 cricket around the world.
“He’s coming back to red-ball cricket for the first time in a long time, but I think it’s a fantastic appointment.
“Following on from Brendon, I think it is exactly what England need.
“The combination with Joe Root will be an exceptional one.
“Tactically, Fleming is incredibly sound. As a captain, he was the best I played under and was highly regarded around the world.
“I don’t think he has a coaching style as such, but he works incredibly well with whoever he’s got in his team, whether they are young or experienced players.”
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