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Joe Root says it would be “silly” for England to change their management team after the Ashes defeat and insists the players are “absolutely committed” to the current set-up.
England lost the first three Tests in Australia across just 11 days of cricket, piling pressure on captain Ben Stokes, coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key.
However, the two-day victory in the Boxing Day game at the MCG ended an 18-Test winless run for England in Australia stretching back to their triumph in the 2010-11 series.
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Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton reflect on how England avoided a potential Ashes whitewash after ending an 18-Test and 15-year winless streak in Australia
They will now be looking to end the tour on a high note with success in the final Test at Sydney from January 4.
Root, who was captain when England lost 4-0 Down Under in both 2017-18 and 2021-22, said: “In terms of the playing group, we’re absolutely committed to the management.
“They’ve been outstanding, so I think it would be silly (to overlook) the amount of hard work and things that have been done.
Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes’ positions came under pressure after the Ashes defeat
“You look at the group of players that we’ve got and you look at the guys that were involved in the team when I was captain four years ago – every single one of them has improved as a player. This team has improved as a team.”
‘I think we’ve made great strides as a group’
England’s Ashes preparation was criticised after they played just one warm-up game, against their second-string the Lions, ahead of the first Test in Perth.
The ECB is also looking into allegations of excessive drinking during a mid-series break in Noosa, with an unverified video appearing to show batter Ben Duckett intoxicated.
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England director of cricket Rob Key does not believe there is a drinking culture within the team but will investigate reports that the mid-series break in Noosa resembled a ‘stag do’
Root added: “Clearly there’s always going to be things to do and things to work on and, yes, we can be better.
“There are certain areas that we’ll continue to keep working at but the management work extremely hard.
“They might do things in a slightly different way and it might appear different to what we’re used to as an English team, but I think we’ve made great strides as a group and a big reason for it is because of the guys that we have behind us.
“It’s been a very different approach and different way of doing things, but there’s been a considerable move forward in terms of how we’ve played throughout that period.”
Root’s century in the second Ashes Test in Brisbane was his first in Australia
Why MCG victory feels ‘weird’ for Root
Root has finally won a Test in Australia at the 18th time of asking after also being part of the 5-0 hammering in 2013-14, while he scored his maiden Ashes hundred away from home in the second Test at Brisbane earlier this month.
The batter said: “I didn’t want to come here and lose another Ashes series.
“[The MCG] win feels weird. It’s disappointing that we’ve lost the series, but it’s really important that we managed to get the right side of the result [in Melbourne].
“It would be better if we win next week as well. Every Test match, every time you get the opportunity to represent your country, is a huge privilege, huge honour.
“If we can build on it and do it again next time it’s momentum in the right direction for the next tour here [in 2029-30].”
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