Joe Root and co. suffered a forgettable batting collapse on day three of the fifth and final Ashes Test in Hobart. England crumbled from 68-0 to 124 all out, losing by 146 runs and the series 4-0. Chasing 271, the tourists enjoyed a solid start before their middle order wilted under pressure.
In his column for The Times, Cook noted that Joe has a massive decision to make on his captaincy. He might be able to do so after spending some time away from the spotlight. The 37-year old wrote:
Cook added that introspection is bound to follow after a chastening defeat, saying:
Nevertheless, Root, who took charge as England’s Test captain in 2017, intends to continue in the role. The 31-year old knows his team has plenty of soul-searching to do, but is keen to remain the Test captain.
“2021 was the year the neglect of red-ball cricket caught up with England” - Alastair Cook
Alastair Cook acknowledged that England’s woes in Tests have been a long time coming, as players have ignored their weaknesses. England’s leading Test run-getter noted that last year could have been worse if not for a series win in Sri Lanka.
England head to the West Indies next to play five T20s and three Tests. It will be interesting to see if the ECB changes their Test captain ahead of the red-ball games. All-rounder Ben Stokes could take over.
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