Stopgap captain could be perfect for England after Joe Root’s overdue exit

On Friday Joe Root resigned as England captain and this was one of the better recent days for the England and Wales Cricket Board. It was, at least, one clarification amid a fog of uncertainty. There is no chairman at the ECB, no cricket director (though the expectation is that Rob Key will be appointed after the Easter bank holiday), no coach and now no Test captain. Not much room for complacency here. England have not been so rudderless since 1988, the summer of four Test captains.

The assumption is that Root jumped rather than being pushed since there is no one around at the ECB to push him. Key, as a Sky pundit, has been critical of his captaincy but I doubt that was decisive. Root has had time since the Caribbean tour to think and sit down with his nearest and dearest, and he has reached a logical conclusion.

I’m happy to join the chorus about Root: that despite limitations he has been a captain utterly devoted to the job, to the game and to his players, and that he should be applauded for his time in charge. England have had many worse captains. But there is no divine right to remain in charge. It was time for a change; in fact change was overdue but, after the Ashes, the paucity of options dictated that Root should continue in the Caribbean. Now for his own sake and that of the team it is time to try someone else. He should depart with his head held high. To general relief but no surprise he has reaffirmed his dedication to playing Test cricket. Now, when the gulf between England’s best player (Root) and the rest has never been greater, they desperately need his runs. His departure spares Key, if he is to be the new director, a tricky conversation.

Key’s probable appointment has raised a few eyebrows. One oddity