Joe Root hopes that young England side can prove point in Caribbean

A lot has been going wrong for the England Test side in recent times. A 4-0 loss in the Ashes series was a big shot in the armour for them. They received heavy criticism for the dismal performance and many reckoned that the captain Joe Root should be sacked. 

However, Joe Root has been retained as captain even though Ashley Giles, Chris Silverwood and Graham Thorpe all lost their jobs. The Test match series against the West Indies would be a big one for Root as he would have to repay the faith shown by the selectors. 

After the dismissal of some of the staff members, an interim selection panel was appointed which was headed by Andrew  Strauss. They ended up taking the very controversial decision of dropping both James Anderson and Stuart Broad from the series against the Windies. 

It is noteworthy to say that Anderson had been their most successful bowler in recent times. It left everyone clueless as that why would a man in form be dropped ahead of an important tour. England have won just once in the Caribbean since 1968 and were beaten 2-1 on their previous visit in 2018-19.

“I think it’s an opportunity for all of us to prove a point,” Root said. “We know that historically it’s not an easy place for England to come and play, winning once in 50-odd years – but that’s a great opportunity for the group. A win in this tour could give the England side a much-needed boost. 

“One thing that we’ve tried to do is make sure everyone is fully aware of what their individual roles are within the team, and how they are going to affect the game and help us win,” he added. Chris Woakes and Craig Overton are expected to share the new ball in the absence of Ollie Robinson.  

"I think it's really important that we look forward to this series with excitement, and those guys take that opportunity," he concluded. The first Test match begins on 8th March in Antigua. 

England are currently bottom of the World Test Championship table, with 10 points from ten games and a win percentage of 9.25%. They will be hoping to come good as a unit in the upcoming games.