Joe Root has backed Harry Brook to do “wonderful things” as England white-ball captain after his nightclub scuffle, whereas describing under-pressure Brendon McCullum as “one of the best coaches I’ve worked with” who has “improved my game tenfold”.
Brook apologised to team-mates at the beginning of the continuing tour of Sri Lanka, after information emerged on the ultimate day of the 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia that he had been concerned in an altercation with a bouncer the night time earlier than an ODI in New Zealand final November.
The 26-year-old and Root shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 81 as England gained Saturday’s second ODI in opposition to Sri Lanka – on a Colombo pitch each gamers closely criticised – by 5 wickets to arrange a sequence decider on the similar venue on Tuesday.
After this tour, which additionally consists of three T20 internationals, England will keep within the subcontinent for the T20 World Cup, with efficiency in that match prone to be key to McCullum’s hopes of remaining in cost after the Ashes shellacking this winter.
‘Brook has taken his punishment and can develop’
On Brook, Root stated: “Harry’s an ideal fella. He’ll be an unbelievable captain and is somebody who clearly feels unhealthy about what occurred.
“He is apologised, taken his punishment and is determined to take this crew ahead. I feel it is a pure feeling for anybody that is made a mistake to really feel such as you’ve let individuals down.
“I feel he will do great issues in an England shirt, each as a participant and as a frontrunner, so I am absolutely behind him.
“I want to see him move past it and learn from it, grow as a person and as a captain off the back of it.”
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Brook stated final week that he’s fortunate to nonetheless be England white-ball captain, including that supporters have each proper to be irritated along with his behaviour
Brook scored a affected person 42 from 75 balls in Saturday’s match, after shrewdly rotating his plethora of spin-bowling choices as Sri Lanka had been bowled out for 219.
Root added of his fellow Yorkshireman: “He played what was required. It was a very different innings to what you might expect him to play but in many ways it won us the game.
“I feel that reveals good management and somebody that actually cares in regards to the group and ensuring that he needs to take us to additional down the road.”
Brook helped England arrange an ODI decider in opposition to Sri Lanka on Tuesday
‘Ashes defeat clearly hurts – however I must correctly replicate’
Root is just not a part of England’s T20 squad so may have loads of time to digest the tough Ashes tour earlier than the house Check summer time begins in opposition to New Zealand in June.
The 35-year-old stated: “I haven’t really had time to mull it over. I think after this tour I’m going to get a couple of months to sit back and look at it properly and probably emotionlessly.
“You spend a lot time attempting to attain one thing on the market and when it would not go nicely it is simple to take a look at issues by way of a sure lens.
Root scored two a whole lot within the Ashes this winter however England nonetheless stumbled to a 4-1 sequence defeat
“It clearly hurts. Of course we went into that series expecting to win and to perform and come away with a lot more than what we did.
“However I might sit right here and get wound up and indignant about it and possibly say one thing that I do not essentially imply or I might give myself a while to correctly replicate on it.”
England in Sri Lanka – outcomes and fixtures
All instances UK and Eire
- First ODI (Colombo) – Sri Lanka win by 19 runs
- Second ODI (Colombo) – England win by 5 wickets
- Third ODI (Tuesday January 27) – Colombo (9am)
- First T20 (Friday January 30) – Pallekele (1.30pm)
- Second T20 (Sunday February 1) – Pallekele (1.30pm)
- Third T20 (Tuesday February 3) – Pallekele (1.30pm)
