England captain Joe Root has played down suggestions that his team are being too kind and not showing the kind of advantage required to be competitive in Australia.

Former English skipper Michael Vaughan criticized Root for his friendly attitude on Boxing Day.

England ended up losing the Boxing Day Test by one set and 14 points to fall to an unassailable series deficit 3-0.

But Root played down the comments, instead describing any such suggestion as an “excuse.”

“Everyone knows what they need to motivate themselves, or they should know what they need to motivate themselves,” Root told reporters at Sydney Cricket Ground.

“When you go out you know what your role is on the team, you know what you have to deliver, you have to know how to get the most out of yourself and your teammates.

“The fact that there wasn’t a side story on this tour that wasn’t all cricket-centric in many ways was a good thing.

“I don’t think it had an impact on the way we handled things on the pitch. I think, in my opinion, that would be seen as an excuse. At the end of the day, we just have to be better there. “

Watch every moment of The Ashes live and ad-free while playing on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14 days for free now.

Vaughan had encouraged Root’s men to find an inner bastard.

“There have been too many mornings that I’ve turned on the TV screen and I’ve seen them all shake hands and have a conversation with Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon,” Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.

“Do this in the locker room after, not before the start of the game.

“They’ve been too nice, let’s see if a meaner England side can produce better results.”

Former England bowler turned commentator Jonathan Agnew asked Steve Smith a similar question.

“Why love? Agnew asked.

“I’m not sure, maybe a bit of everything,” Smith replied. “It all seemed a little silly to me over the years, all that commentary and stuff.

“We’re here to play and compete, but you go out and do your business and let your skills take over in the middle. I think that’s what everyone wants to see from my point of view anyway. Let it be more fun. I’m chilled anyway. It was nice. We let cricket take over and that’s what everyone wants to see in my opinion.

Meanwhile, Root played a direct role in an investigation of potential breeding changes after the Boxing Day bloodbath.

“Whoever has the opportunity to play this game has this chance to go out there and put in these individual scores, these partnerships, that sets up a game,” Root said.

“Australia has shown us firsthand how to do this in these conditions, this is our opportunity to do it. Of course we’ll have to do it our own way, we can’t just be something we’re not, but we have to deal with it better than we’ve done so far and take our chances.

Root also didn’t want to add fuel to the fire regarding his future as an English captain.

“I’ll be looking at my future beyond this tour at the end of this one,” Root said.

“I don’t think these are questions I need to answer. It’s a distraction that I don’t think should be present in the group, or I should be wasting energy now. I have to make sure I put everything I can into these two games. I think I owe it to this team and the players and it will give us the best chance to get the results we want.

STOKES CLOSES THE CAPTAIN’S CONFERENCE

England might want a new boss, but Ben Stokes has ended talks he is in the running to succeed Root.

As the fallout from a messy Ashes campaign continues, the all-round star suggests he could replace Root while battling for beleaguered coach Chris Silverwood.

“It’s your job. To say ‘should people quit,’ ”Stokes told reporters in Sydney, ahead of the fourth test starting Jan. 5.

“At the end of the day, the opinions of the most important people are those of the guys in the locker room and they have our full support.”

“Leadership is more than setting the field, choosing the team, making decisions in the middle. A captain is someone you want to go out and play for. Joe Root is someone I always wanted to play for. Chris Silverwood exactly the same. He is a real player coach. He defends you as individuals and as players as well.

“All the hype in the media lately about their future, it’s your job to write that. But they know full well that they have everyone’s support and that’s all that matters.

Root has yet to win an Ashes campaign as captain.

This is largely why the 31-year-old, whose test average fell below 50 after the Boxing Day flop, is under significant pressure to retain the prestigious role.

And while Root’s performance with the bat hasn’t diminished (he scored the third-highest number of points in a calendar year in 2021 – 1708), his role in the 3-0 Ashes flop, where England finished with nine losses to close the year, has not been lost to pundits and journalists.

In particular, Root’s defensive fields and his influence in the selections have seen many, including former skipper Mike Atherton, question whether he should continue in the role.

But Stokes played down the discussion that Root was fading away like Alastair Cook before him, nor his desire to replace the drummer.

“I never really had the ambition to be a captain,” Stokes continued. “It’s totally Joe’s decision. He shouldn’t have to. I am on [Alastair] Cooky felt the same. He’s been doing it for so long. When he knew his time was up, his time was up. These discussions were not initiated anywhere near Joe.

LISTEN TO THE LATEST FOX CRICKET PODCAST IN THE PLAYER BELOW OR SUBSCRIBE TO ITUNES OR SPOTIFY! Can’t see the reader? Press here

Given the lack of experience on the squad and with most of the players far from the squad’s lockdowns going forward, Root should stay on as captain.

Another one that bites the dust

Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley will miss the fourth test after becoming the last to test positive for Covid-19.

Fortunately, the CA boss had had no “direct contact” with the Australian men’s test team, or other teams.

“After experiencing mild symptoms, I immediately underwent a PCR test which has since returned a positive result. I am isolating myself at home with my family, who have returned negative results, ”Hockley said in a statement issued shortly before noon Monday.

“In the last few days we’ve seen cases involving the Australian men’s team Ashes and some of the BBL teams. It’s a reminder of the complexity that Covid-19 presents for major sporting events and the importance of getting vaccinated, of receiving a booster as soon as possible and of getting tested as soon as symptoms appear. ‘ ‘

Watch every moment of The Ashes live and ad-free while playing on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14 days for free now.

THE DEEP CONCERN OF THE LEGEND

Former captain Ian Botham is the latest to question the leadership of the England Cricket Board.

The former all-rounder who won the match called England’s priorities, which have turned to the game’s shorter formats, “embarrassing”.

“If we ever lose Test cricket, we will lose cricket as we know it,” Botham told ABC Summer Grandstand.

“It must be preserved and treated as the top priority.

“I didn’t think we were going to win, but I thought we could be competitive. That changed in the first hour of the first day of play.

“I know cricket has had a busy year, but there isn’t enough importance given to the game of red ball in the UK. I feel like it’s gotten old fashioned and that’s what this Test series shows. It’s embarassing.”

CALL THE BIG TO REPAIR THE BIG

Brett Lee called on England to play mainstays Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson in Sydney.

The duo were sensationally excluded from the opening test in Brisbane, before returning for the pink ball test in Adelaide.

But England were still behind the eight ball in Adelaide and unable to play with a new ball under the lights, thus mitigating their swing-ball weapons.

Anderson performed very well in Melbourne, but Broad was dropped.

“I think the selection was awful,” Lee told Fox Cricket. “I hope they have the right players at the SCG park. Broad and Anderson. They have over 1,100 test wickets.

The former fast pitcher added that he would play with compatriot Mark Wood in a three-seam attack and go for spinner Dom Bess ahead of left-arm spinner Jack Leach.

“The wood injection and for a different spin option I would choose Bess,” Lee said.

MORE CRICKET NEWS

ASHES DAILY: Australian legend McGrath to fail Pink Test; England hit by Covid ‘mess’

AUSSIE STATE OF PLAY: Now or never for great hope; The ash myth behind Starc’s dilemma

16 PLAYERS EXCLUDED: Covid chaos ravages three clubs, but matches are yet to come