London, : England’s star batter Joe Root has ruled himself out of contention for the national white-ball captaincy, stating that his time as a leader has passed. Speaking to Sky Sports, as quoted by Wisden, Root emphasized that he had already "done his time" as a captain and expressed confidence in whoever takes on the role.
"I think that ship has sailed [captaining England in limited-overs cricket]. I have done my time as a captain in an England shirt, but I am sure whoever gets the opportunity will be extremely proud and do a brilliant job," Root remarked.
Buttler’s Departure Leaves Leadership Void
Root’s statement comes in the wake of Jos Buttler’s resignation as England’s white-ball captain, following a disappointing run in major ICC tournaments. Despite winning the T20 World Cup in 2022, England failed to defend their titles effectively, managing just three wins in nine matches during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and stumbling to a semi-final finish in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Their performance in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy was even more dismal, as they lost all three matches in Pakistan, failing to register a single win.
Root’s White-Ball Absence and Test Focus
Since England’s 2019 World Cup triumph, Root has been a peripheral figure in the team’s limited-overs setup, prioritizing Test cricket instead. Of the 68 ODIs England has played since 2019, Root featured in only 34 matches, scoring 1,003 runs at an average of 34.58, with one century and eight fifties, his highest score being 120.
Root has also been absent from England’s T20I squad since 2019, despite recently participating in the SA20 League, where he impressed with 279 runs in eight matches at an average of 55.80 and a strike rate of 140.20, including three fifties.
England's Future in White-Ball Cricket
Reflecting on England’s winless ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, Root admitted the team had underperformed. "There is so much talent and so much more to come from that team. It is a really good opportunity to reset, move forward, and get back to the heights we know we are capable of—like we were between 2015 and 2019," he said.
With England searching for a new leader, the focus now shifts to the next generation of players who will be tasked with restoring England’s dominance in white-ball cricket.
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