Root calls on England to be 'good human beings'

Joe Root, England's most prolific batter, has called on his teammates to embody "good human beings" as the men's national cricket team navigates a period marked by off-field controversies. Root, with extensive experience as captain, expressed his hope that his "natural persona" can help instill a sense of calm within the squad.

Recent seasons have seen the team grapple with several incidents. Last winter's tours were overshadowed by issues such as an altercation involving Harry Brook and disciplinary problems related to player drinking during an Ashes trip. These challenges coincided with a significant 4-1 series loss to Australia.

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He is a very unique player with unbelievable qualities that I don't think are easy to replicate. I don't think there is any point trying to.

The troubles extended into the summer, with Ben Stokes breaking a team curfew. This incident triggered a tumultuous six weeks, culminating in a 2-1 series defeat against New Zealand, Stokes' subsequent retirement, and the dismissal of coach Brendon McCullum.

While Stephen Fleming has been appointed as McCullum's successor, batting coach Marcus Trescothick will temporarily lead the Test side for the upcoming series against Pakistan. Root, who captained England in 65 Tests between 2017 and 2022, acknowledged the difficulty of his task. "One of my big challenges is trying not to be Ben Stokes," he admitted, recognizing Stokes' unique and difficult-to-replicate qualities. Root emphasized that the team will adopt a slightly different approach, focusing on fine-tuning and evolving existing strengths rather than a complete overhaul.

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It is going to have a slightly different look to it but that is OK. There has been a lot of good stuff that has happened in the past four years that will serve us really well. It is about not ripping it up, just fine tuning and evolving that and taking that to the next level. We have got to find a way of evolving the team without him.