Joe Root has offered strong public support for both captain Harry Brook and head coach Brendon McCullum following England's morale-boosting five-wicket victory against Sri Lanka in the second One-Day International. The win in Colombo on Saturday marked a significant moment, ending a barren run of away defeats for England's white-ball sides that had stretched back to November 2024.
Root's Guiding Innings and Praise for Leadership
Root himself played a pivotal role in the successful chase, crafting a composed 75 runs to steer England home. In the aftermath, the experienced batsman took the opportunity to endorse the leadership duo who have faced recent scrutiny. "I think he's going to be a brilliant England captain," Root said of Brook. "He's going to do wonderful things in an England shirt, both as a player and as a leader."
Addressing Off-Field Controversy
Brook's appointment as limited-overs captain in April came after a period of intense examination, compounded by an incident where he apologised for clashing with a nightclub bouncer before the third ODI against New Zealand earlier in the winter. Root addressed this directly, stating Brook has "apologised, he's taken his punishment and he's desperate to take this team forward." The former captain expressed his full backing, hoping Brook would "move past it and learn from it and grow as a person and as a captain off the back of it."
Endorsement for McCullum's Coaching Regime
Turning to the coaching staff, Root was equally effusive in his praise for Brendon McCullum, whose tenure as all-format head coach began in India in January 2025. "I think Baz is one of the best coaches I've ever worked with," Root asserted. He highlighted the transformative impact on player development, noting his own game had "improved tenfold" and that most squad members had seen individual progress under McCullum, alongside assistants Jeetan Patel and Marcus Trescothick.
"They've done a lot of really good things for English cricket and will do in the future as well," Root added, while acknowledging the disappointment of England's recent Ashes defeat in Australia.
Reflection on the Ashes and Future Focus
Despite the Ashes setback, Root remains optimistic about the team's trajectory. "I still think that there's a lot of more really exciting things to come from this group," he said. The batsman confirmed he is "still having the best time" within the current setup but plans to take a measured approach to reviewing the Australian tour, intending to "sit back and look at it properly and probably emotionlessly" after the Sri Lanka series concludes.
This victory represents Brook's first ODI win abroad as captain and a crucial step forward for an England team looking to rebuild confidence and cohesion under its new leadership structure.
