Michael Atherton: England must become Joe Root's team after Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum departures

Joe Root has been reappointed as England's Test captain on Thursday, with the 35-year-old returning to the role after stepping down in 2022. The announcement follows the sacking of Brendon McCullum as Test coach and the shock retirement of former skipper Ben Stokes from international cricket earlier this month. Root's first stint as captain ran from 2017 to 2022, during which he led England in a record 64 Tests, winning 27 matches.

Michael Atherton has reflected on Root's reappointment and the context surrounding his return to the captaincy. Atherton noted that Root will get the opportunity to lead free from the Covid restrictions that the Test team faced at the end of his first spell as captain. The former England skipper believes this presents Root with a distinct chance to reshape the team after the Stokes and McCullum era.

"How many of us in life get a second chance at something?," Atherton was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

"The observation underscores the rarity of such opportunities in professional cricket, where captaincy changes are often permanent rather than cyclical," Atherton continued.

Between Root's first and second coming as captain

Atherton stressed the transformation that took place during Root's absence from the captaincy.

"Between his first coming and his second coming as captain, there's been four years of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum driving an England team to play in a way that probably no other England team in the history of the game has played," Atherton explained.

This has now got to be Root's team again

The former captain emphasised the importance of Root establishing his own identity in the role.

"This has now got to be Root's team again, not Stokes' team," Atherton said.

The statement reflects the need for Root to move beyond the legacy of his predecessor and create a distinct vision for the side moving forward.

Root's previous captaincy ended after he won just one of his final 17 Test matches as skipper, a record that prompted his decision to step down. His return now offers him the chance to build on the foundations laid by Stokes and McCullum while establishing his own leadership approach. The appointment of Stephen Fleming as head coach alongside Root's captaincy signals a fresh chapter for English Test cricket.