Joe Root backed England head coach Brendon McCullum after England’s loss in the Ashes, saying he remains confident about the direction of the team. His comments came after England beat Sri Lanka in the second ODI in Colombo.Root joined Harry Brook and Ben Stokes in supporting McCullum, whose role has come under scrutiny following England’s 4-1 defeat to Australia in the Ashes series.
“I think Baz is one of the best coaches I’ve ever worked with. Obviously, we’re disappointed with the way things went out in Australia, but I still think there’s a lot more really exciting things to come from this group,” Root said after the second ODI win against Sri Lanka.Root also spoke about the impact McCullum has had on his own game. “If you look at my own personal game, the time that he’s been the coach, it’s improved tenfold.”Since McCullum became England’s Test coach in 2022, Root has scored 16 centuries in 46 Tests, underlining a strong phase in his career.“Obviously, it’s more fun when you win. But I’m still having the best time of my life. I get to turn up and do the thing that I love every day with a great group of people, some brilliant minds and some experts that you can constantly keep improving and developing under,” Root added.Root played a key role in England’s five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second ODI at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Saturday. Chasing 220, he scored 75 off 90 balls, hitting five fours. He also took two wickets, dismissing Asitha Fernando for 0 and Dunith Wellalage for 20.The win helped England level the three-match ODI series 1-1. The third and final ODI will be played at the same venue in Colombo on January 27.
