Joe Root must have "serious think" whether to remain as England Test captain

Geoffrey Boycott believes Root lacks the instinct to lead the team but admits potential replacements are few and far between

England Test captain Joe Root has been urged to consider his future after Australia retained the Ashes after victory in the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

Tim Paine's side completed a 185-run victory in Manchester to go 2-1 up with one Test to play.

Root has now won just two of the last seven bilateral series as skipper but wants to stay on beyond the fifth Test at The Oval this week.

But Geoffrey Boycott, who captained England six times across his 146 international outings believes his fellow-Yorkshireman is too defensive and struggles to grasp the nettle.

"Joe Root is such a likeable lad, a quality batsman and nobody wants to hurt or humiliate him but I’m afraid he lacks any feel for captaincy," he wrote in his column for The Daily Telegraph.

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"His captaincy has been very disappointing and he has to seriously think about whether he is suited for the job and whether it is affecting his batting.

"Captaincy is like playing chess. You have to think two steps ahead. A match can be nip and tuck for long periods then when you see an opportunity you have to attack. 

"I’m afraid Joe does not see his chance early or quick enough and sometimes he does not see it at all.

"As much as we all love Joe it seems he does not have a feel for the nuances of the game.

"There have been crucial moments in all the matches and England have very rarely grasped them. Australia have always been mentally stronger and won the key moments."

^{Australia will be eyeing a first series win in England since 2001 at The Oval}

In his 32 Tests as captain Root averages 40.87 with the bat, with just once century coming in his last 18 innings.

Though Root's position is under scrutiny, there are very few viable candidates to succeed him, and Boycott does not foresee any immediate changes.

"The selectors will not want to take the captaincy off him," he added. "They are not sure who the hell to give it to instead and they will not want to humiliate our best batsman by sacking him publicly.

"But he has not batted very well for a while and the team spend too long drifting to challenge good sides like Australia. He has to spot an opportunity and be positive but Joe goes on the negative too often too soon."