Joe Root hits out at Michael Vaughan over captaincy criticism after Ashes defeat

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has received a reaction from Joe Root after saying that if he does not win the Ashes trophy during his tenure, he will not be counted among the best captains. Vaughan's remark has been disregarded by Root, who claims that what other people think of his captaincy is "irrelevant." Although Root acknowledged that winning the urn in Australia is every England player's desire, he stated that his job is to do the best he can for the team and that even if that isn't good enough for some people, he will still be proud of what he has accomplished.

"It’s certainly something that everyone wants to do, go to Australia and win, whether as a captain or player. It’s something you’re desperate to do in your career. But in terms of what other people think of me as captain, it’s sort of irrelevant. My job is to do the best job I can for the period I have the role. I’ll continue to give everything to the team and at the end of it, if that’s not good enough for some people, I’ll still have done all I can and I can be proud of that," Root was quoted as saying by Daily Express. 

Vaughan previously stated that when a player is offered the captaincy, his whole emphasis is on defeating Australia and winning the Ashes. "Not many get four bites at the cherry," Vaughan remarked, adding that if Root fails to win the Ashes, he may be fired as Test captain. However, after England was defeated in the just-finished Ashes series, Root stated that he would like to continue as Test captain, debunking rumours that he could be forced to resign in the wake of the humiliating defeat down under.

England's humiliating Ashes defeat

In terms of the Ashes series, Australia won the high-octane clash 4-0 to retain the urn for the second time in a row. In the first three Tests, contested in Brisbane, Adelaide, and Melbourne, Australia defeated England comprehensively to secure the urn. The visitors managed to draw the fourth Ashes Test match in Sydney before losing the final game in Hobart to end their tour on a humiliating note. England were mostly ditched by their batters, who once again failed to forge important partnerships at crucial stages of games. 

Image: AP