Joe Root shows gratitude towards West Indies as England captain prepares for long-awaited Test series

NICK FRIEND: The England captain's availability for the first Test, however, could be in some doubt. Root and his wife, Carrie, are expecting their second child in early July, and he has stated that he will be present at the birth

The delay to the cricket season caused by the coronavirus outbreak could ultimately have a beneficial impact on Joe Root, the England captain believes.

England’s international summer will – government guidance permitting – belatedly begin on July 8 with the first Test of a three-match series against West Indies at the Ageas Bowl.

Emirates Old Trafford will then host the second and third Tests, beginning on July 16 and July 24, respectively. Initially, the first home Test of the year was due to begin later this week at The Oval.

“It's been a nice and welcome break,” Root said. “I've enjoyed it and benefited from it, having a bit of time to think about the game as a batter and as a captain, take a bit of stock of the best way to take the team forward and how I will get the best out of myself for the next couple of years. I could see that having a big impact [in terms of] longevity.

“Hopefully that has a positive impact on both sides of my cricket and we can start seeing a few more converted scores and England winning plenty of games.”

The 29-year-old’s availability for that Test, however, does remain in some doubt. Root and his wife, Carrie, are expecting their second child in early July, and he has stated that he will be present at the birth.

Given the bio-secure nature of the behind-closed-doors series, it will be important to restrict movement in and out of the ‘bubble’, meaning that there is still some uncertainty over how quickly Root would be allowed to return to the venue should the two events – the birth and the beginning of England’s Test series – clash.

Speaking on Friday, Steve Elworthy, the ECB’s director of events and the man tasked with overseeing this complex operation, admitted that the protocols surrounding temporarily exiting the venue had not yet been finalised.

“The one thing they are working on is trying to make that time as short as possible which would allow that sort of exit and entry back in the bubble,” he said.

“In terms of the bubble, and the pregnancy, it's always an evolving thing,” Root explained. “It's being discussed currently with the medical team; we're always trying to stay up to date with it.

“At the minute, it’s still open for discussion, how that will finally look I’m not exactly sure right now but it will have to come down to government advice, whatever that is. We’ll follow those protocols and do whatever is right.”

Root returned to training on Monday, choosing to practise at Trent Bridge with former England coach Peter Moores rather than at Headingley – a decision he insisted was based on the logistics of getting to the ground. During Moores’ second stint with the national side, Root averaged 94.5 in Test cricket across 10 games, with scores of 200*, 182* and 154*.

^{Joe Root returned to one-to-one training on Monday}

“It has been nice to touch base with him again,” Root said. “There wasn’t much coaching done yesterday. It was more about getting back into it, hitting some balls, and feeling good. It would be nice to get his input on things as the week progresses, leading into the next phase.

“This time of year in normal circumstances is extremely exciting – the build-up to the first Test is always very special, the week as a whole is something that you look forward to, like Christmas really. It signifies what I think is a great couple of months of the year. International cricket at home, full houses all the time, and brilliant atmospheres around the country.

“That's obviously going to change quite drastically. There's still a huge amount of excitement; I think a lot of that comes down to having not played for a long period of time. But, with international cricket, it’s hard not to get excited about that. You're always playing against the best around the world and that in itself is something that a lot of players cherish and really look forward to.

“It will be very different. It's hard to know what to expect, it's hard to know what it'll feel like when we play in empty stadiums or what it’ll be like tossing up from one balcony to the other, or however that'll look like.

“So, there's a number of things that will I’m sure be very strange and different, and take some getting used to, but I think most of the guys are just very excited to get back to playing.”

Asked about the importance of diversity to this group of England players in response to the protests that have followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Root echoed the sentiments of one-day captain Eoin Morgan who, after England’s World Cup win in 2019, pointed to a strength that was derived from the team’s “diverse backgrounds and cultures”.

“Being truthful, it's a very difficult thing to talk about because it shouldn't be part of the world we live in right now,” Root said. “This shouldn't be a question that’s asked of anyone really.

“That's one thing that's a massive driving force for our team, the diversity of the side is a big part of our culture. It’s a big thing in our future and it's something that we'll hold very dear, and it’s been a big part of our successes as a team, on the field and off it.”

He added, too, his gratitude to his West Indian counterparts for agreeing to travel, given the uncertainty that remains around Covid-19 in the United Kingdom.

“It’s been extremely difficult times for everyone around the world,” he stressed. “On the state of things in the UK, from my knowledge and what I’ve been made aware of, the things that have been put in place have been outstanding. The work that the medical team and the ECB logistically have done to make the bubble and the environment as safe as possible is incredible.

“For the West Indies to still come over here, they are obviously helping the game massively. Of course, safety is everything, and it wouldn’t be possible if that was going to be compromised. Still, it must extremely scary and I think the whole cricketing world will be grateful to see some cricket again.”

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