"What other people think of me as captain is irrelevant"- Joe Root hits back at Michael Vaughan
England captain Joe Root has taken an indirect dig at former captain Michael Vaughan, saying he doesn't focus on what others think of him as captain. Root recently became the most successful England captain in Tests after the win against India at Headingley.
However, Vaughan said that Root could be termed as a great captain only if he wins The Ashes. While Root knows the importance of the Ashes, he is focused on the ongoing series against India at the moment.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the fourth Test, Joe Root said that he believes in giving everything to his team, and he doesn't focus on what others have to say.
"As an England captain, you're judged slightly on how you perform in Ashes cricket," said Root. "More than anything I feel we need to win this series first. This is a huge series for us. And then we will turn our attention to Australia."
"It is something that everyone wants to do, getting to Australia and winning as a player or as a captain. What other people think of me as a captain is irrelevant. My job is to give everything to the team, and if that is not good enough for some people, it is something I have done, and I will be proud of that".
We will need to wait for more information from Cricket Australia: Joe Root
England's tour of Australia later this year is in doubt, considering the restrictions on England players and their families when they travel Down Under.
While reports say that as many as ten players have issues with the restrictions, Joe Root maintained that there is still not enough clarity and that the team would wait for more information from Cricket Australia:
"Conversations will happen with the ECB," Root said. "One thing that we wait for is more information, and till we get that from Cricket Australia and the Government, we will need to wait. First we need to look at this series and make sure that doesn't become a distraction," Joe Root concluded.
The fourth Test match between England and India will be played at The Oval on Thursday.