Ashes 2019: Geoffery Boycott Takes a Dig at the Captaincy of Joe Root

England have lost to Australia in the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford on Sunday and the captaincy of Joe Root came under the scanner. With this win, Australia have retained the Ashes and took a 2-1 lead in the five-match Test series. Although Joe Root is one of the best batsmen of England, his captaincy failed to impress everyone and it’s being questioned by the cricket fraternity.

“Joe Root is such a likeable lad, a quality batsman and nobody wants to hurt or humiliate him but I’m afraid he lacks any feel for captaincy,” former opening batsman Geoffery Boycott said the Daily Telegraph on Monday. “His captaincy has been very disappointing and he has to seriously think about whether he is suited for the job and whether it is affecting his batting.”

Root took over the responsibility from Alastair Cook two years ago. Following that, England won at home against India and South Africa and against Sri Lanka in away series. However, they lost to Australia in 2017 and lost a series to the West Indies for the very first time since 2009. Meanwhile, he has failed to score big as well in the ongoing Ashes series.

“Jofra Archer bowled fast and Stuart Broad with great skill and intensity, the atmosphere was electric with the crowd urging England on to bowl them out cheaply,” Geoffery Boycott said. “But after tea Joe opened the bowling with Craig Overton and Jack Leach and his field settings beggared belief.”

“All the intensity, aggression dissipated. Joe just stood at slip watching (Steve) Smith take the match away from us. As much as we all love Joe it seems he does not have a feel for the nuances of the game,” he further added.

However, another former captain Nasser Hussain has also expressed his thoughts over the captaincy of Joe Root. He shared that Root has surely felt let down as some of the bowlers didn’t bowl well on the first day of the Test. However, he knows that Joe Root is capable enough to get the best out of the players.