Joe Root in 2021 – Super Hit Batsman, Super Flop captain: It has been year of contrasts for Joe Root. He has created record after record as a batsman in 2021 – but HUMILIATION & EMBARASSMENT is what he has achieved as a England captain this year. England on Tuesday surrendered Ashes to Australia in a most humiliating manner & Root’s captaincy stint will be under huge scanner now – Follow Ashes 2021 LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN
Joe Root’s team was shot out for their lowest total Down Under since March 1904 – in their second innings in Melbourne after losing six wickets for just 22 runs before lunch on day three.
Adding salt to the wound(s) – England equalled Bangladesh’s record of losing most Test matches in a calendar year.
At the same time, Joe Root went on to score the most runs in a calendar year with record 1708 runs in 2021.
Joe Root in the post-match presentation said: “Credit to Australia they blew us away. A lot of hard work to do. We were completely outplayed”
Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison declared, ‘There is going to be a big inquest. There’s gonna be a lot of things blamed, people’s careers on the line &” & without any doubt Joe Root’s captaincy is online.
Joe Root in 2021: Super Hit Batsman, Super Flop captain, Is he set to lose captaincy after Ashes humiliation?
Joe Root is NOT lying down in the final two games. 🔥
Will England salvage some pride next test?
For More: https://t.co/YHwH8H4QGL pic.twitter.com/dty559jqMb
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 28, 2021
Joe Root in 2021: SUPER-HIT batsman
- Joe Root (1708 runs) in 2021 has made 1178 runs more than the next most by an England player (Rory Burns 530).
- The previous highest diff between the top two run-getters from a team in a calendar year was 881 runs between Viv Richards (1710) & Roy Fredericks (829) in 1976.
- Root has scored most runs as captain for England – 4921 runs in 59 Tests @47.78
- He is the only bright spot for England with 253 runs in 3 Tests @42.17, 3 fifties. Unfortunately, Root has failed to score a century in the last 8 outings.
Most runs in a calendar year:
- Mohammad Yousuf (PAK)- 1788 runs in 11 Tests @99.33 [2006]
- IVA Richards (WI)- 1710 runs in 11 Tests @90 [1976]
- JE Root (ENG)- 1708 runs in 15 Tests @61 [2021]
- GC Smith (SA)- 1656 runs in 15 Tests @72 [2008]
- MJ Clarke (AUS)- 1595 runs in 11 Tests @106.33 [2012]
Joe Root in 2021: Super Hit Batsman, Super Flop captain, Is he set to lose captaincy after Ashes humiliation?
Joe Root in 2021 as SUPER-FLOP captain
- England is now winless in its past 13 Tests in Australia; its longest-ever streak
- This is the eighth time in the last nine #Ashes series Down Under Australia have secured the urn by the end of the third Test. Way too one-sided!!!
- England in 2021 under Joe Root: Tests- 15, Won-4, Lost-9, Drawn-2
- The Year 2021 saw England losing to India twice (home & Away), New Zealand (home) and Ashes (5-0 predicted)
- Interestingly, the ODI and T20I setup are managed and coached by the same staff and Eoin Morgan has produced different outcomes.
- Ben Stokes is likely to take over if Root is sacked/ steps down as England captain ahead of Sydney & Hobart Tests.
- Series 1: Won 2-0 against minnows Sri Lanka in their backyard
- Series 2: Lost 1-3 to India in their backyard
- Series 3: Lost 0-1 to New Zealand at home
- Series 4: Trail 1-2 to India at home (decider in 2022)
Series 5 ongoing: Lost Ashes to Australia 0-3 (5-match series)
Most Test losses in a calendar year:
9 Bangladesh 2003
9 England 2021
England’s decision to bat first under overcast conditions in Gabba backfired. Root pressed the panic button and went ahead with a pace attack in Adelaide after spinner Jack Leach got hammered.
He had earlier included allrounder Moeen Ali during the India Tour of England which failed to deliver any dividend.
Joe Root ahead of Ashes- ‘Test series will define my captaincy’
Ahead of the Ashes, England captain Joe Root had said that the Test series will define his captaincy. Unfortunately, it’s gone south.
“Absolutely it is (on the line), you look at how hard it has been for English captains and English teams over the years. It’s been something that doesn’t happen very often. Of course it will define my captaincy, I’m not naive enough to think that it won’t. But what a great opportunity. I can’t wait for the series to get going,” Sydney Morning Herald quoted Root as saying.
Australia greats Ian Chappell, Ricky Ponting question Joe Root’s leadership
Former Australia great Ian Chappell too questioned Root’s leadership, calling him a poor captain.
“What is the opposite definition of excellent leadership? There’s a good chance it can be summed up by Joe Root’s captaincy. Root is an excellent batter but a poor captain. it would not be unfair to describe him as an ordinary and unlucky captain,” Chappell told ESPNcricinfo.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting had also criticised Root’s decision makings. He had lashed out at Root for not being strict with the England bowlers.
“Whose job is it then to make them change? Why are you captain then? If you can’t influence your bowlers on what length to bowl, what are you doing on the field?” cricket.com.au quoted Ponting as saying.
Joe Root is still England’s most successful Test captain with 27 wins, most by any other England skipper.
| Player | Span | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | Draw | W/L | %W | %L |
| AN Cook | 2010-2016 | 59 | 24 | 22 | 0 | 13 | 1.09 | 40.67 | 37.28 |
| JE Root | 2017-2021 | 59 | 27 | 24 | 0 | 8 | 1.12 | 45.76 | 40.67 |
| MA Atherton | 1993-2001 | 54 | 13 | 21 | 0 | 20 | 0.61 | 24.07 | 38.88 |
| MP Vaughan | 2003-2008 | 51 | 26 | 11 | 0 | 14 | 2.36 | 50.98 | 21.56 |
| AJ Strauss | 2006-2012 | 50 | 24 | 11 | 0 | 15 | 2.18 | 48 | 22 |
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