"Joe Root is what I would describe as a typical England captain" - Mark Taylor on Joe Root's captaincy
Former Australian opener Mark Taylor has assessed Joe Root's captaincy and stated that he will be desperately looking to improve results under his leadership. Mark Taylor feels Joe Root's tenure as captain is likely to end soon, given he is England's batting lynchpin.
Root is under significant pressure as England trail the prevailing Ashes series by 0-2 and face a do-or-die situation in the third Test. Notably, the Yorkshire batter is yet to become an Ashes-winning captain and must create history to help England regain the urn.
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Writing in his column for the Sydney Morning Herald, Mark Taylor feels Joe Root is a typical England captain, given his silent nature. Taylor highlighted the need for Root, the leader, to step up; however, he worries that consistent pressure could contribute to a lack of runs:
"Root is what I would describe as a typical England captain, who is laid back and reasonably quiet. I sense Root is at the stage where England must improve, or he will seriously consider his future in the role. I am worried about the detrimental impact being the captain of team playing this poorly will have on his game. England cannot afford to have one of their few world-class players having his output diminished."
While Root is already England's most successful skipper with 27 wins, he is also on the brink of surpassing Alastair Cook's record. The right-handed batter, set to play his 59th Test as captain, will pass Cook's haul of 58 matches as skipper. However, the remaining three Ashes Tests will define his captaincy tenure.
"Mark Wood is one player who should provide a spark to the England side" - Mark Taylor
Taylor reflected on the changes made by England ahead of the Boxing Day Test, mainly hailing Mark Wood's selection. Expecting the MCG track to suit the speedster, the 57-year old wrote:
"Mark Woodโs return is a huge boost for England, as he provides a point of difference with his pace. If there is inconsistent bounce in Melbourne, Wood will become even more of a handful. Wood is one player who should provide a spark to the England side. They desperately need some energy. Touring Australia can be difficult, particularly when youโre down 2-0 and have been largely uncompetitive."
Wood missed out on the pink-ball Test in Adelaide despite Australia opting for a seam-heavy bowling attack. The 32-year old performed well in Brisbane and will aim to make an impact at the iconic MCG too.