Root wants a fresh start after Ashes rout

Captain Joe Root says it's time for a fresh start after England's Ashes debacle and reckons he's grateful to be given the opportunity to take the team forward.

Root survived the axe following a 4-0 drubbing in Australia even as director of cricket Ashley Giles, head coach Chris Silverwood and batting coach Graham Thorpe were sacked in the series aftermath.

"Clearly, it was a disappointing tour and we massively underperformed," Root told reporters on Wednesday as he looked forward to their West Indies tour.

"I think off the back of it, we have to use this opportunity for a fresh start. As Straussy's (interim director Andrew Strauss) mentioned, a bit of a reset... I'm very grateful that I've got the opportunity to do that as captain.

"I know there's a lot of hard work ahead, and I'm very much looking forward to that challenge. And that starts on this tour first. It's a real opportunity that we've got to take with both hands."

England travel to the Caribbean for a three-Test series that gets underway in Antigua on March 8.

Selectors have made wholesale changes for the series, with veteran fast bowling duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad the most notable omissions.

Root, however, insisted, that it wasn't the end of the road for the pair who have more than 1,100 Test wickets between them.

"I've spoken both to Stuart and Jimmy... they're obviously disappointed, angry... at no point, no-one is saying this is the end for them," said the 31-year-old.

"If we're in a position where they can come back into this team, then great, that's only going to strengthen things. So a lot can happen between now and then."

Speaking on the Tailenders podcast, Anderson, England's highest Test wicket-taker with 640 scalps, said he still had much to