Former Evaluation spinner Monty Panesar thinks England’s victory against Australia at The Oval may have rescued Joe Root from the sack.
England captain Root took the catch to dismiss man Josh Hazlewood and also a 135-run victory in the final and fifth Test, ensuring his side attracted the series 2-2.
But Panesar – who played 50 Tests between 2006 and 2013 – feels if Australia had was able to assimilate their hosts to a series 32, Root might have dropped the captaincy.
“I think this week has rescued him,” Panesar told Sky Sports News. “If Australia had won 3-1, then I believe that the ECB could have been having an polite talk with him and they’d potentially ask him to resign.
“He’s been well, but is it great for the staff that he captains England in addition to batting? I think since the series has gone his kind has slightly deteriorated.
“But he turned it around this week – he dug in deep and managed to reveal he would like to be the individual to lead England. The winter tours are currently going to be big for him.
“He wants to succeed from New Zealand and South Africa and if he is really determined to lead England, he needs to demonstrate the type of cricket we have seen this week in The Oval.
“He is obviously still very passionate and he wishes to take that challenge on. We’ll see over the winter months if he is in a position to maintain his batting form as we understand Joe Root captain and can the team.
“I’m sure within the next six months that the ECB will assess how he plays as a captain and a batsman and they’ll make a choice.”
Root, who triumphed Alastair Cook as Test captain in February 2017, was third in the England batting averages throughout the Ashes series, scoring 325 runs in 10 innings.
The attracted series was a swansong for England head coach Trevor Bayliss, who’d declared his death before a summer where the national men’s team won their first World Cup that is 50-over.
The ECB have yet to mention a successor to the Australian, however Panesar would prefer to see them retain the present structure of professional coaches operating under an general supremo.
“I believe they need to have a single head coach and then the assistants,” he added. “Ideally I’d like them to be English coaches because the ECB have invested heavily in their own coaching programmes and it is nice to see a stepping stone to the national team.
“The likes of Paul Collingwood and Marcus Trescothick are included in the England set-up over the summertime, Chris Silverwood is an excellent fast bowling coach and they’ve also obtained Saqlain Mushtaq.
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