Broad is NOT thinking about replacing Root as England captain

When Joe Root called me on Thursday to inform me of his decision to resign as England Test captain, I told him he'd achieved something special in being a leader who was universally liked.

Over the past five years, it has been his responsibility to give people disappointing news on selection — myself included — but I would vouch that without exception every single person who has played under his captaincy would be in unanimous agreement over what a nice guy he is.

I can hear team-mates saying: 'He's a legend.' That's quite a rare feat to achieve in the world of sport because success and popularity do not go hand in hand and I can say with confidence that not everyone I've played with would be complimentary about me.

Beyond the dressing room, Joe has been an amazing ambassador for the game of cricket. The best, I would suggest, that we've had.

This would not have been a decision that he took lightly, and I don't think anyone in history will have relinquished the England Test captaincy without it playing a lot on their mind beforehand.

As well as being a huge honour, it is such a big job, and doesn't just have an effect on the incumbent themselves but direct family too because it is so time consuming.

For the last five years, I've noticed on days before Test matches start that when other players are off to relax with a cup of coffee or a game of golf, Joe has been in meeting after meeting or in this or that media session.

It's a stressful job. One that can make you lose your hair — if Nasser Hussain and others in the modern era are anything to go by. And that's why so few have done it for as long as he has.

Worldwide you get the odd captain like Graeme Smith who took the armband in 2003 at the age of 22 and held on to it