Joe Root names Stephen Fleming's appointment as key factor in Test captaincy return

Joe Root (File pic)

England Test captain Joe Root has revealed that the arrival of Stephen Fleming as head coach played a pivotal role in his decision to accept the leadership position once again, expressing enthusiasm about creating a successful era alongside the seasoned mentor.

The ECB previously announced Fleming as head coach alongside Root's re-appointment as skipper, stepping in to fill the roles left vacant by Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes.

"If I'm being brutally honest, it [Fleming's appointment] was a big reason why I wanted to do it. I'm very excited by the way he sees the game, where he sees us sit as a team, and the work that we have to do to get to where we want to get to. All of that got me very excited about taking this role on," Root said.

Root voiced his eagerness to partner with Stephen Fleming, highlighting his vast background in the sport across playing and coaching capacities.

"I'm very much looking forward to working with him. He's obviously got a wealth of experience and done some amazing things within the game as a player and as a coach, and I'm very much looking forward to the next little while, and us trying to build something pretty special together," he said.

Joe Root eager to keep improving under Fleming

Reflecting on his recent playing career, Root described the preceding four seasons as the most rewarding phase of his professional life, crediting the squad's culture for reshaping his perspective on the game.

"The last four years have been the most fun I've had in professional cricket, and a big part of that was down to the way that they got me to see the game, how I fit into that side, and the experiences that we managed to create on and off the field," Root said, according to Cricinfo.

While acknowledging that recent setbacks might dominate public discourse, the skipper emphasised that the squad accomplished significant milestones over that stretch, which he plans to integrate into his upcoming leadership stint.

"Clearly, the last little while is probably what's fresh in everyone's mind, but you're looking at a four-year period where we did a lot of amazing things. I've taken a lot from that, and I feel it will be a big part of how I want to approach things moving forward as a leader of this team," he said.

(With inputs from ANI)