Anderson feels Root has improved beyond recognition with the captaincy

Brisbane : England pacer James Anderson said that Test skipper Joe Root has improved beyond recognition with his captaincy.

Australia and England will square off in five-match Ashes series, beginning December 8 at the Gabba, Brisbane. Tim Paine had stepped down as Australia skipper after a sexting scandal and now the board has appointed Pat Cummins and Steve Smith as captain and vice-captain.

“He’s improved beyond recognition with his captaincy. He’s brilliant, I think, tactically on the field, he’s brilliant around the group, speaks brilliantly. He’s really headstrong, he knows where he wants the team to go, so I think it’s good for us,” Sydney Morning Herald quoted Anderson as saying.

“His batting is something he’s so proud of. I think over the last couple of years he’s not got the runs he’d have liked in Test cricket, so he then gets missed out of the Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith chat, whereas actually, he’s pushing those three to be the best in the world,” he added.

Anderson also said that England would not resort to sledging during the Ashes as it is something that does not suit their playing style.

“To be honest, it’s something that Joe’s very keen as captain, and has been for the last couple of years, that we stay away from that sort of thing. I think also the players we’ve got don’t really lend themselves to that style either,” said Anderson.

“So we’ll just try to let the cricket do the talking and try to stay away from any sort of anything on the field that happened in the past. Certainly that 2019 series, there wasn’t much really going on on the field, from a distance. I didn’t see much aggressiveness on the field, apart from in cricketing terms.