England in West Indies: Joe Root's tenure as captain may end after third West Indies Test - Michael Vaughan
- Published
The Test in Grenada is Joe Root's 63rd as captain
The third Test between England and West Indies may be Joe Root's last as captain, says former England skipper Michael Vaughan.
England are facing defeat, reaching 103-8 - a lead of just 10 - in their second innings at stumps on day three.
Root, 31, has been captain since 2017 and has a record 27 wins, but his side are winless in eight Tests and have only won one of their past 16.
"I can just see it in his face," Vaughan told BT Sport.
"I've been in that position when it goes, and he's been the captain for such a long period of time it might be starting to come to an end for him.
"I just feel that this could be his last Test as captain."
They were the better side in the opening two Tests in West Indies, but were held to draws, and the series comes on the back on a heavy 4-0 defeat in Australia over the winter. After the Ashes Root said he wanted to stay on as captain.
He scored a record 1,708 runs in 2021 and has scored two hundreds in this series but his aggregate of five runs in the third Test in the Caribbean is his lowest in a match since 2015.
"I just think he's frazzled," added Vaughan, who captained England between 2003 and 2008 in Tests.
"I've seen two shots in the Test - the first innings, it was a pretty good ball, but I still think that Root at his best would get away with that and this innings it was just a tired shot."
However, former England batter Jonathan Trott, who worked with as a batting consultant during the Ashes, believes Root should continue in the role.
"Is he the right person to do it? Is he doing it because there's nobody else? I personally feel he's the right man for the job at the moment," Trott, who scored 3,835 runs in 52 Tests between 2009 and 2015, said on BT Sport.
"For me, the last two Test matches he's performed brilliantly.
"Whether he wants to continue to do it or whether he's had enough that's for him to decide. If he wants to continue I don't see any reason why he can't.
"Is the England side going to be better with Joe Root not as captain? I'd argue not but it's up to him again at the end of the day."
Vote: Who should captain England in first New Zealand Test?
After the Ashes series we asked you who you wanted to be England captain on this tour of West Indies. The vote was pretty one-sided with 58% keeping faith with Root.
Is that still the case now? Pick who you want to captain England in the first Test against New Zealand on 2 June below.
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