Joe Root picks the wrong moment to go into battle: Nasser Hussain

India registered a thrilling victory at Lord’s as they completely outplayed the hosts on the final day. England was well in control of the game on the final day but eventually lost the plot. Thus, skipper Joe Root was brought under scanner for his captaincy on the final day of the second Test. The former England captain Nasser Hussain however pointed out that Root needs to be much more thoughtful while picking up his battle.

Root has been the stand-out player for the team in both the Test matches. He has put up some belligerent shows with the willow and held the fort of the side. However, he was criticized for picking up a battle against Jasprit Burah on the final day at Lord’s. Nasser Hussain feels that Root is a great ambassador of the game in the country and the way he carries himself is impressive. He further highlighted the concerns of the hosts as he suggested that Root has to select the right battle.

“At times, Joe picks the wrong moment to go into battle. He got it wrong on that final morning at Lord’s when he picked a fight with Jasprit Bumrah. He would be better off picking a battle with his top three over their lack of runs, or the ECB over scheduling,” Nasser Hussain wrote in the column of Daily Mail.

It seems they do not quite know when to be ruthless: Nasser Hussain

Joe Root is at the brink of becoming the most successful captain in England’s history. One more victory will take him past Michael Vaughan’s record tally of 26 Test victories. Hussain stated that this is something one can consider if they feel that Root isn’t a good captain.

Hussain further pointed that it is crucial for England to read the situation wisely and then decide their approach towards the game. He also reckoned that getting a tad bit tough at times and telling the team what exactly one thinks is crucial.

“The only thing I would say, not just about Root but also this England regime, is that it seems they do not quite know when to be ruthless and when is the right time for Joe to be an angry captain. The time to offer the stick rather than the carrot. The England set-up is full of nice people, whether that be Root, Chris Silverwood, Paul Collingwood, or Graham Thorpe. But at some stage, you have to be tough and tell your team exactly what you think,” Hussain wrote.