England's decision to reappoint Joe Root as Test captain a sign of lack of leadership

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/root-joe/EkKzSCk2/"]Root[/a], one of the best batsmen of his generation, has already led [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/UJC5mtAU/"]England[/a] in a national record 65 Tests, mainly during five years from 2017-2022.[/p][p]He initially stood down as skipper following a dire run of one win in 17 Tests.[/p][p][b]"The last couple of years, it (the captaincy) sucked the life out of me,"[/b] he said a few months later on a podcast. [b]"I was a shadow of the person I wanted to be... Once I'd made the decision it was a real relief."[/b][/p][p]But, despite a modest return of 27 wins, 27 defeats and 11 draws as Test captain, Root is putting himself through it all again.[/p][p]England have no realistic alternative after former skipper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stokes-ben/bqDhqGMG/"]Ben Stokes[/a]'s dramatic announcement during the third Test at home to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-zealand/G6PWlrQB/"]New Zealand[/a] in June that he was retiring from international cricket.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brook-harry/MefSexXu/"]Harry Brook[/a], vice-captain under Stokes, is already the skipper of England's white-ball teams and it may have been too much to expect him to lead the side in all three formats.[/p][p]It was Brook's altercation with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand in November last year which led England to impose a midnight curfew.[/p][embed guid="e1fbc183-71e2-48c8-b6a1-68dc52a631f1" url="https://x.com/SkyCricket/status/2087520755768557773" social-type="twitter" /][p]When Stokes and fast bowler [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/atkinson-gus/Aodjczhc/"]Gus Atkinson[/a] were omitted from the second Test against New Zealand after breaking that curfew in a London bar, Root was installed as acting captain.[/p][p]Root announced last week he is ditching the curfew.[/p][p]None of England's other batsmen besides Brook are certain of their place and none of the bowlers are candidates to be captain, not least because of fitness issues.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pope-ollie/IwFbOrnK/"]Ollie Pope[/a], back in the squad for the first Test against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/pakistan/tS3K91g9/"]Pakistan[/a] at Headingley, has previously been England's vice-captain.[/p][p]But after he was replaced in that role by Brook, he was dropped from the team during England's 4-1 Ashes thrashing in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/OxG0JfXg/"]Australia[/a].[/p][h2]'Different player'[/h2][p]England appear to want Root to remain Test captain until at least the end of next year's home Ashes.[/p][p]That is a run of 13 Tests, which also includes a tough tour of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/tUhlKzIm/"]South Africa[/a] later this year, and a series away to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bangladesh/2of97jms/"]Bangladesh[/a], who on Sunday delivered one of the all-time great upsets with a commanding nine-wicket win away to Australia.[/p][p]England will hope Root will be a more astute skipper second time around.[/p][p][b]"I am a very different player and have a different way of looking at the game than the last time I captained, in a good way,"[/b] the 35-year-old said when he was stand-in captain against New Zealand.[/p][embed guid="5b47f3bd-07ce-498e-80a3-fd362f49f704" url="https://x.com/SkyCricket/status/2087641282461962613" social-type="twitter" /][p]But the fear is leadership could render Root, who is in sight of surpassing India hero [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tendulkar-sachin/dIkIjtjM/"]Sachin Tendulkar[/a] as Test cricket's all-time leading run-scorer, a less effective batsman.[/p][p]That is the last thing England, who have lost seven of their last nine Tests, need as they look to move on from the Bazball era.[/p][p]Root said earlier this month he would not "rip up" the playbook of ultra-aggressive cricket but rather "tweak" things, in the hope of guiding England to the kind of series wins over powerhouses India and Australia that eluded Stokes and former Test coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mccullum-brendon/0KJ3u1y4/"]Brendon McCullum[/a], who remains in charge of the white-ball teams.[/p][p]England were often accused of arrogance under Stokes and McCullum, especially once results started to go against them.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/cricket/england-UJC5mtAU/pakistan-tS3K91g9/?mid=hzV3ZotK"]The three-Test series against Pakistan[/a] is set to reveal whether England under Root will be able to turn the tide.[/p]