Joe Root hints third Test against West Indies could be his last as England captain

England skipper Joe Root has hinted that the third Test against the West Indies could be his last assignment as England’s Test captain. The home side will take on England in the third Test, which is to be played at the National Cricket Stadium, St George’s, Grenada, starting from March 24 (Thursday). As the previous two matches ended in draws, both teams will be looking to come out on top in the final match of the series.

Joe Root was appointed as England’s Test captain in February 2017, following the resignation of veteran batter Alastair Cook. Since then, Root has captained his side for a record 63 times in the longest format of the game. However, his post has been under immense scrutiny since England got hammered by Australia in the Ashes series earlier this year. The Three Lions lost the series 0-4 down under.

I think I’m the right man to take the team forward: Joe Root

“I think I’m the right man to take the team forward. But, if the head coach comes in and thinks differently, that’s fine, that’s their decision,” Joe Root was quoted by Mirror.

“I’m a massive England fan. I just want to see us do well. So I’ll keep doing everything I can to make us as good as we can be and if that means in time I’m no longer in this position, I’ll still do everything I can to help this team and to try to take us to be the best team in the world. That will never change,” he added.

Talking about Root‘s numbers in Test cricket, the 31-yer-old has played 116 matches in which he has amassed a staggering 9884 runs at an average of almost 50. The right-handed batter has also made 53 fifties and 25 centuries. Root also has five double-centuries under his belt, and has represented England in 152 ODIs and 32 T20Is as well.

Meanwhile, England veteran cricketer Paul Collingwood has been deputed as interim coach for the West Indies tour. The England Cricket Board (ECB) is set to name a full-time head coach ahead of their home series against New Zealand in June 2022.