Joe Root must resign as England captain ‘for his personal good’, claims Steve Harmison

Steve Harmison believes Joe Root ought to resign as England Take a look at captain for “his personal psychological sanity”.

Root’s place as England skipper has come beneath intense scrutiny after his aspect rounded off a winter of discontent with a 1-0 collection defeat towards the West Indies.

Having misplaced 4 of the 5 Exams in Australia, a a lot hyped red-ball reset has failed to attain the specified outcome as England capitulated with the bat in Grenada earlier than crashing to a 10-wicket defeat.

Whereas Root has advised he desires to maintain main the workforce and insists they’ve made progress throughout the tour of the Caribbean, former England quick bowler Harmison thinks the 31-year-old ought to step down.

“There’s going to be rather a lot talked about Joe Root’s captaincy,” Harmison instructed talkSPORT. “My opinion is he must do it himself now for his personal good.

“I simply assume for his personal psychological sanity it’s time to get out of there, sadly.”

England’s Ashes humbling was adopted by a sweeping of the decks earlier this yr as director of cricket Ashley Giles, head coach Chris Silverwood and assistant Graham Thorpe all misplaced their jobs.

Whereas James Anderson and Stuart Broad have been controversially omitted from the three-match collection towards the Windies, interim managing director of cricket Sir Andrew Strauss gave Root a vote of confidence.

Former England captain Mike Atherton thinks that was the unsuitable determination.

“I felt he ought to have gone on the finish of the Ashes,” he stated. “I can’t see there’s any justification for carrying on. He was given full backing by Andrew Strauss and I don’t assume he’ll give it away.”

There have been shoots of positivity in Antigua and Barbados, the place England acquired themselves into profitable positions in each matches however have been unable to recover from the road in both.

However toothless bowling in Grenada allowed the Windies to determine a 93-run first-innings lead earlier than England subsided meekly to 120 all out of their second dig, which in the end proved decisive.

This outcome stretched England’s winless run to 5 collection, whereas they’ve prevailed in simply one in every of their final 17 Exams, however ex-captain Michael Vaughan fears they haven’t but hit all-time low.

“I worry this red-ball workforce would possibly go even additional backwards earlier than it goes forwards,” he instructed BT Sport.

“I don’t see too many gamers out of this English Take a look at match workforce bubble who can all of a sudden spark England into getting 450 constantly towards the higher opposition when the ball’s shifting about.

“That’s why I do assume there might be some darker days forward.”

Root has presided over 64 Exams – an England document – however, whereas Vaughan didn’t name for his fellow Yorkshireman to go, the Ashes 2005-winning skipper thinks reworking the present crop will take time.

Due to this fact, Vaughan feels whoever is in cost for the beginning of the summer time schedule ought to have loads of drive and dedication.

“Let (Root) sleep on it for per week or so, get residence and begin to think about,” Vaughan added.

“You’re going to should have loads of power, as a frontrunner and captain, you’re going to should have an enormous quantity of power to get up each morning to captain this aspect.

“I don’t see this Take a look at match aspect all of a sudden turning into a workforce that constantly wins collection after collection and that’s even in English circumstances.

“Joe’s going to have to seek out an enormous quantity of power and he’s additionally going to have to enhance as a result of tactically on this sport he was a good distance quick. This England aspect was a good distance quick.”