The Ashes: Joe Root says it would be ‘silly’ to change England management

Joe Root says England players are “absolutely committed” to team management and it would be “foolish” to make changes following the Ashes series defeat.

Captain Ben Stokes, head coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key are under pressure after the series in Australia was lost with defeat in the first three Tests.

However, England won the fourth Test, a two-day test in Melbourne, ending an 18-match winless streak dating back to 2011.

Stokes, McCullum and Key have all expressed their desire to stay after the Ashes and their case will be further strengthened with a win in the fifth Test in Sydney, which starts next Sunday (23:30 GMT, Saturday).

“We are absolutely committed to the management in terms of the playing group,” said Batter Root, England’s all-time leading Test scorer.

“Yes, we can be better and there are some areas we will continue to work on, but the management is working extremely hard.

“They might do things a little differently, but I think we’ve made great strides as a group and a big reason for that is the guys behind us.”

Root captained England on their last tour of Australia, losing 4-0 in 2021-22. The tour cost coach Chris Silverwood and director of cricket Ashley Giles their jobs, while Root would later resign.

Stokes, McCullum and Key arrived in the summer of 2022 and initially revived the Test squad. McCullum has been given the right to extend his contract until 2027, including taking over the white-ball teams in 2024.

Stokes timed his England deal for the same period just before this Ashes series.

While all-rounder Stokes is likely to remain captain after the Ashes, fitness permitting, the futures of McCullum and Key will come under scrutiny; This will be complicated by the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka early next year.

The cricket coach and director must respond not only to England’s results but also to their planning, preparation and off-field activities.

Key said he would investigate reports of excessive drinking in England’s Ashes exit at Noosa between the second and third Test, and also apologized for his “20%” performance in the series.