Joe Root Quotes

I wouldn’t say I give the hairdryer treatment but when we’ve not performed well you have to make people aware.

There’s always things you want to get better at and learn from but that’s something that’s quite hard to instil in players.

Whenever you lose, it hurts.

As a captain I think tactically I’ve been quite good.

You turn up to an Ashes series and put everything you can into it.

You are not going to win many games if you start behind.

From the age of six I used to watch every England team and when I was messing around in the backyard I would pretend to be whoever was scoring runs at the time, whether they were a right or left-hander. I just wanted to be them and do that.

It is motivating seeing how powerful it is when people come together and show support for a fantastic organisation like the NHS. We are very lucky to have it. We should appreciate it and not take it for granted.

Individually we all have to play to our strengths.

You look at someone like Neil Wagner – he’s got a big heart, a big engine, and keeps running. And that’s what you want, you want guys who, time and time again, want to be putting themselves in that position, to keep wanting to create chances and keep trying to change the game.

Make sure you look after people around you and it holds you in good stead going forward in terms of leadership. Look at all the best leaders and they have those qualities.

I played my first game of adult cricket at about eight or nine when the fifth team were short and picked me to field and bat at No 11. From then I just got the bug and wanted to play as often as possible.

When I’m waiting to bat I try to watch the game and make sure I know what is going on so I am ready when I get out there but I spend a lot of time hydrating. It is very important for your performance and concentration. If it is cold I might have a coffee but mainly I am trying to stay really hydrated.

You have to look at areas you want to get better at, both in yourself and as a team.

The dressing-room environment is very difficult to replicate, camaraderie is very important.

You’re always trying to find ways of getting guys in positions in which they will be comfortable.

I can remember that 2005 Ashes as a kid and being really absorbed in that whole series at 14 years old. It was magical.

In the past, I found myself on occasions not playing the game at the speed that suits me. I need to make sure I’m in control of what is going on out there as much as I can.

Time has never really been an issue in Test cricket, especially in the modern game where things naturally move quicker than they have in the past.

That’s the food chain that cricket is sometimes. You have to be at the top of it otherwise you get swept away and eaten up.

Sometimes people say things on the field that they might regret, but they should stay on the field.

I’ve played a lot of cricket at Trent Bridge over the years, and have had a lot of fond memories there.

I like to think I’ll be quite instinctive as a leader.

From a young age I’ve always known my game pretty well and coming from a club like Yorkshire you are generally taught to say what you think. If you don’t say what you think then someone else does.

You try to make sure you have respect for the opposition but still play to win and play hard cricket.

In terms of pace, every captain wants pace in their attack.

I just love playing for England, whether it’s opening or middle order.

I’ve always wanted to play Test cricket from a young age and that’s what you dream about. But you have to make sure you can contribute regardless of the format.

You have to have a laugh and a joke. If you spend five days playing a Test match and so much time together off the field, it’s important to keep morale high.

Every now and then you might have to change things around. It’s not something that is good to do a lot – especially with your batting – but every now and then, I don’t think it’s a bad thing.

I think I can be quite cheeky at times.

Something people might not know about me is, I like playing the guitar.

You want to be busy and try and get the scoreboard moving, and showing that intent when you go out there is important.

I love playing five days of cricket; personally, I think it’s the best format.

I have been given a fantastic opportunity to captain the Test side and will continue to work very hard at doing my best at that.

I’m known as tidy, I like to keep my stuff in order.

I used to see Michael Vaughan play at the club and then to watch him captain England was inspiring.

There are always different areas in the game you want to develop. For me it’s my all-round game in different conditions in different places in the world.

We pride ourselves on taking opportunities to win when we have them.

I’m not a massive reader, to be honest. I try and fill my time with other things. But I remember getting halfway through a book once. It was ‘The Client’ by John Grisham, which was quite interesting.