England captain Joe Root not fretting over James Anderson and Stuart Broad's unavailability in West Indies series
England captain Joe Root says he trusts the bowlers picked for the West Indies tour to fill the big boots of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. The right-handed batter added that winning in the Caribbean is a challenging prospect for the team.
England pulled off a massive selection shock by omitting their two most successful Test bowlers, Anderson and Broad, for the Test series against the West Indies. However, the ECB's interim managing director Andrew Strauss defended the decision.
He said that it's not the end of the road for the legendary duo, who have 1177 Test wickets between them, adding that the management is also planning for the future.
Sir Andrew Strauss has revealed why James Anderson and Stuart Broad aren't in England's Test squad for the tour of West Indies.
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Although Root earlier remarked that he held massive respect for Broad and Anderson, he expressed no regrets on their absence. The 31-year old thinks their replacements have an opportunity to seal their spot in the side.
"No. It is important that we look forward in this series with excitement. When opportunities come around in Test cricket, you grab them. I am fully confident that Broad and Anderson's replacements are in a really good place to do that. They can grab their chance and become more senior. To show what they are capable of in slightly new roles with the new ball in hand," Root said, as quoted by Sky Sports.
England, who announced a 12-man squad for the first Test, has Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Mark Wood and Chris Woakes as their pace bowlers. Ollie Robinson will miss the game, as he failed to recover from a back spasm.
"It is important that we see how the wicket changes" - Joe Root
Root acknowledged the need to assess the pitch carefully before deciding on the team's bowling combination. The Yorkshire batter added that a series win in the Caribbean would lift their morale massively after a 4-0 Ashes loss Down Under.
The England captain said:
"It is important that we see how the wicket changes. It changed in practice yesterday - the amount of water that was on it. It will be interesting to look at it today to see how it has changed. Then we will make a decision off the back of that."
The England captain added:
"I know that I can offer something to this team in terms of spin. This is an opportunity for all of us to prove a point. Historically, this isn't an easy place for England to play. That is an opportunity for the group - to come away winning would be a huge achievement."
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England last won in the West Indies in 2003-04, and lost 2-1 in 2018-19.