In his second spell as England’s Test captain, Joe Root has done away with the midnight curfew imposed on his side and has urged players to behave like ‘grown adults’ as they prepare for the upcoming series against Pakistan, starting at Headingley on August 19.
The decision marks a clear departure from the ECB’s player behaviour guidelines introduced in July following a string of off-field alcohol-related incidents — like former captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were out past a midnight curfew after England won the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s.
“That’s for us as a team to manage well, and police well for me and (new head coach) Stephen Fleming. We should be known for how we play cricket and what we do on the field. Underlining the need for a healthy team culture, Root added, “Be adults, look after yourselves, look after each other. (We need to) create a good, strong culture where you know when the right time is to celebrate and enjoy a win or to have a sensible beer, but remember — you’ve got to play for England. We’re human beings at the end of the day. You know what your responsibilities are, you know how you need to prepare for a Test match and what it takes, and the effects that these things can have on you. So be smart, be sensible, and just be an adult. I have someone that I’ve always admired. “He’s someone that I really did admire as a player. The way that he’s always held himself as a captain first and foremost. His record as a coach has been exceptional, albeit in T20 cricket. There’s so much that I’m looking forward to in that respect. “In Test cricket, he’s capable of doing some wonderful things. I made mistakes, but he’s going to be a really important factor in what we do moving forward. I’m very excited to work with him again. Root also addressed the public perception surrounding his return to the leadership role. “I think the hardest thing for me will be people’s opinion of how I captained four years ago. I think it’s very important to remember, and for me to remember more than anything, I’m a completely different player from what I was four years ago. As a player, I’ve always looked to evolve and move my game forward.
Because they want to have a beer or, at the right time, let their hair down, and then that’s absolutely fine, “I don’t want people to feel like they can’t enjoy winning a Test match.
We should be on the back page of papers,” Root said in the latest episode of the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast. Welcoming Fleming to the Test fold, Root said, “(Fleming and I) have crossed paths a bit over the last few years when he’s coached different teams around the world. Clearly, as I said, I didn’t get everything right the first time around.
