Root 2.0: England's key batter reinventing himself under Bazball

Broadcaster Mark Nicholas has likened Joe Root to rock stars such as David Bowie and Bruce Springsteen for his ability to continually reinvent himself.

Root has been England's most dependable batter for several years, but since handing over captaincy duties to Ben Stokes, the Yorkshireman has adapted his approach to fit the ultra-attacking philosophy under his successor and head coach Brendon McCullum.

His strike rate has skyrocketed in the last 14 Tests, up to 76.35 from a career mark of 54.65 before Stokes took the reins. At the same time, Root's output remains excellent, with 1,279 runs at 67.31 in the Bazball era, again a significant improvement from a stellar career average of 50.76 in 131 Tests.

Nicholas, the former Hampshire captain who will serve as the next MCC president from October, believes relinquishing the captaincy last year played a role in unlocking Root 2.0.

"He's an amazing man and cricketer, actually, and I think the ability to keep reinventing himself as a batsman," said Nicholas.

"It’s almost like rock stars do it. David Bowie kept reinventing himself, Bruce Springsteen, to a degree. There's a number of them. It's amazing actually.

"It's incredible to think that he averages more under Stokes than before Stokes, and in itself, that tells you that he’s freed up his mind. I think that as a captain, he felt the responsibility heavily.

"By freeing his mind up, he's a little looser in the shoulders, (has) a looser grip on the bat and therefore everything is more ready to go in the attacking sense."

Root has risen to the top of the Test batting rankings after swashbuckling innings of 118 not out and 46 in England's agonising two-wicket defeat in the first Ashes Test.

His second dig typified his outlook as he