Joe Root set to lead England after 47 Tests: Stats
What's the story
Joe Root is back as England's Test captain after a four-year hiatus. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) appointed him as the interim skipper for the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval, starting June 17. His appointment comes after Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were withdrawn from selection due to their involvement in an alleged altercation at a nightclub. As per ESPNcricinfo, Root will lead England after 47 Tests.
Captaincy history
Root's previous stint as captain
Root had previously captained the England Test team from 2017 to 2022. His tenure was marked by some high points, including series wins against India at home in 2018 and South Africa (away) in 2019-20. However, the latter part of his captaincy was marred by a string of defeats, including a heavy Ashes loss in Australia. In his last 17 Tests as captain, Root won only one, as per ESPNcricinfo.
Resignation details
Why did Root step down as Test skipper?
After England lost the decisive Test match to the West Indies in Grenada by 10 wickets, Root decided to step down as captain. He had said, "After returning from the Caribbean tour and having time to reflect, I have decided to step down as England's men's Test captain." He added that it was a tough decision but felt it was the right time for him.
Captaincy statistics
A look at his captaincy numbers
During his time as captain, Root led England in 64 Tests, winning 27 and losing 26. No other player has led England in 60-plus Tests. Root is also England's most successful captain in Tests, having surpassed Michael Vaughan's record of winning 26 games. In that tenure, Root scored a total of 5,295 runs, including 14 centuries and 26 half-centuries.
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Root back as England's captain
As mentioned, Root will lead England after 47 Tests, the joint second-most matches between a captaincy stint in men's Tests, according to ESPNcricinfo. He shares the record with Pakistan's Waqar Younis (1993-2001). Alec Stewart tops this list with 49 matches missed (1993-1998).