Joe Root: No one is saying this is the end for Stuart Broad and James Anderson

Broad and Anderson have a combined 1,177 Test wickets between them but both were left out of the travelling party for the three-match series against West Indies, which is due to get under way in Antigua on March 8

Joe Root has insisted that the door is not closed for Stuart Broad and James Anderson in Test cricket, despite the two quicks' shock exclusion from the England squad for the upcoming tour of the Caribbean.

Broad and Anderson have a combined 1,177 Test wickets between them but both were left out of the travelling party for the three-match series against West Indies, which is due to get under way in Antigua on March 8.

The decision to leave two of England's few world-class red-ball players out - made by a makeshift selection panel of Sir Andrew Strauss and Paul Collingwood following the dismissals of former managing director of England men's cricket Ashley Giles and head coach Chris Silverwood - was poorly received.

However, Root was at pains to say in a pre-depature press conference on Wednesday that the omissions are not terminal.

"No one is saying this is the end for them," he said.

^{Joe Root has said Stuart Broad and James Anderson have a future in the England Test team}

"I’ve spoken to both Stuart and Jimmy and they’re disappointed and angry. You’d expect that. But it would be great to see them very much in the mix at the start of the summer. A lot can happen within this tour and over the next period.

"The fact they're not there means there are different roles others have to fill. They've taken the new ball for such a long time in English cricket, they've been leaders of the attack, had a lot of success and deserve a huge amount of respect for it. But this is an opportunity for other guys to step into that space and become leaders as well."

Root was asked is he supported the decision to leave Broad and Anderson behind.

"I don’t think we have to air every bit of information," he said.

"Sometimes we have been slightly too honest. Certain things should stay in the room. And that’s the case now."

"I'm praying this isn’t the end but if I never play for England again, I know I've got amazing people around me to support me"

James Anderson on the Tailenders podcast

Both Broad and Anderson have gone public with their frustration at the selection decision, especially given neither have shown a downturn of form.

In a Mail on Sunday column, Broad wrote that he had struggled to sleep after being informed of his exclusion, while Anderson made his first comments about missing out on the Tailenders podcast this week.

He said: "It’s been a weird couple of weeks. I’ve just been trying to process what’s gone on. Obviously it was a bit of a shock and a disappointment to get that call to say I am not going.

"There’s been quite a few texts between myself and Broady in particular, getting some initial frustration and anger out but I think once that was gone, it’s really now trying to look to stuff we can affect.

"I still feel like I’ve got the hunger and passion to play. I feel in great shape, I just want to keep bowling.

^{Anderson and Broad have been left out of the West Indies tour}

"I’m praying this isn’t the end but if I never play for England again, I know I’ve got amazing people around me to support me. I’ve now got to try to focus on stuff that I can control and that’s playing cricket."

England leave for Antigua on Thursday, with an inexperienced squad hoping to make an impact and amends for the miserable trip to Australia.

Yorkshire's Matt Fisher and Alex Lees of Durham are two uncapped players in the touring party, while Ben Foakes is expected to take the wicketkeepers' gloves in the absence of Jos Buttler with a finger injury - Buttler's future in the red-ball game is unclear.

Root, meanwhile, will jump up one place in the batting order to No.3, against his well documented personal preferences.

"Naturally, as you come back from a tour, you reflect and you think about how things could go differently and look forward at how you can impact the team in a positive way – whether that’s as an individual in the team or a leader in the team," he said.

"That’s the best way I can help us to become a better team. I feel I have got the skills to bat in that position, I am more comfortable and it sits easier with me than it has in the past."