NASSER HUSSAIN: Root must step down as captain after another Test loss

Joe Root may have won more Test matches than any England captain but only one of those victories has come in his last 18 games now and the time has come for a change at the top.

For me the England captaincy was the best job in the world and it is not one you keep doing simply because there is a perception no-one else is capable of taking over. We are talking about the England captaincy. It is too important for that.

Root is a world-class batsman and a very likeable lad but I feel he has never had that instinctive feel for the game as captain. Clearly under Joe and Paul Collingwood in the West Indies England tried to create this atmosphere where they were all mates and all in it together. They want to be a likeable team but you need more than that to win Tests.

Sometimes you need those tough characters even if they are difficult to captain and coach. It’s such a cop out to leave out people who are perhaps difficult to manage and pick a team of 10 yes men and yourself.

The whole point of captaincy, and the aspect of the role I enjoyed the most, was trying to get the most out of people who did things differently. Those who were a little difficult.

The first thing Andrew Strauss will do in the aftermath of another series defeat is appoint a new managing director and then it will be up to them to appoint a new head coach and consider the captaincy.

And if Joe does not decide to step down himself the decision should be taken out of his hands. Then the new coach should sit down with Ben Stokes and ask him where he is off the field mentally and where he is with his game. 

Ben seems to be playing with passion and fire again and if the coach likes what he hears from him then Stokes should get the job.

It does not need hindsight to