Former England batsman Nasser Hussain praised Joe Root’s recent decision to eliminate the team curfew, calling it a mature step, but he also warned that the England skipper sometimes seems to lack the intuitive feel for the game that his predecessor Ben Stokes possessed. Root has now led England in a record‑breaking 65 Tests, most recently during the second‑match defeat to New Zealand earlier this summer. That loss came after Stokes and all‑rounder Gus Atkinson were suspended for breaching a curfew that had been introduced following the 4‑1 Ashes loss in the winter. "It’s simply a grown‑up decision, isn’t it?" Hussain remarked on the latest Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, referring to Root’s choice to do away with the curfew ahead of the three‑Test series against Pakistan, which began on Wednesday on Sky Sports.
"If you need a curfew, you’ve already lost control of your side. Curfews rarely achieve anything positive because somebody is always going to break them.
Treat your players like adults – if they misbehave, fine them first, and if they continue, leave them out. A professional outfit shouldn’t have to resort to a curfew; it only highlights how dire the situation was when it was introduced." Hussain added, "I’m really pleased that Joe has said ‘no, enough of that nonsense.’" The immediate challenge for Root is to rejuvenate an England side that have now lost eight of their last 13 Tests, a slump that followed the 2‑1 series defeat to New Zealand which effectively ended the high‑octane ‘Bazball’ era and coincided with Ben Stokes’ retirement from international cricket. Root’s first full‑time spell as captain also ended poorly – he managed only one win in his final 17 Tests before stepping down in 2022.
Hussain reflected on that period, saying, "He was handed a massive hospital pass for the second Test at The Oval. That was very recent, not four years ago, and it reminded me of some of the moments when Joe seemed to lose the feel for the game." He continued, "In that Oval match he tried to emulate Stokes a bit too much, pushing his men onto a bouncy pitch where the ball was tracking behind.
He didn’t have the natural sense of tempo that Stokes displayed. Stokes had an instinctive grasp of the flow of a Test, something I feel Root sometimes misses." Hussain also hinted that he might have leaned toward Harry Brook as a potential captain, noting, "Brook, in the limited‑overs format, shows a genuine feel for the game and an aura about him. Of course, the international schedule is demanding, but his temperament is promising." Brook, despite serving as vice‑captain, was passed over for the Test role in that second New Zealand match at The Oval.
His involvement in white‑ball cricket may have made the selectors hesitant to overload the 27‑year‑old with the permanent Test job, especially after a controversial incident with a nightclub bouncer before an ODI last winter that attracted heavy criticism. Michael Atherton, who recently sat down with Root, asked, "Are you doing this out of duty or genuine desire?" Root replied that duty played a part because there were few alternatives; the board could not ask Brook to lead across all three formats. However, he also expressed genuine excitement about the opportunity, saying he felt he had some ammunition in the form of a strong fast‑bowling attack. Root praised former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, acknowledging his influence on both his own batting and the team’s approach.
He stressed that he would not discard the successful elements of Bazball but would instead adapt them to his own style, avoiding the imposition of a rigid, predetermined system. In the squad news, Essex all‑rounder Jordan Cox will slot into the No 3 position for the first two Tests, covering for the injured Jacob Bethell.
Cox previously appeared at No 6 in the second Test loss to New Zealand at The Oval, scoring 27 and 25 in his two innings. Cox, who shared a stint with Root at Welsh Fire in The Hundred, said his time with the captain helped him understand the England leader on a more personal level.
"Spending three‑and‑a‑half weeks with Joe in The Hundred has been fantastic. We’ve batted together in the nets, talked cricket and life – it’s given me insight into his mindset. Test cricket is the pinnacle, and while The Hundred just finished, we’ve got a few extra days to train and prepare for the big Test ahead," he explained.
The three‑Test series between England and Pakistan will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket from August 19, with streaming options available through NOW for contract‑free viewing. Overall, while Hussain applauds Root’s willingness to treat his players as adults and remove an unpopular curfew, he remains cautious about the skipper’s tactical intuition.
The upcoming series against Pakistan will be a crucial test of whether Root can blend his mature leadership style with the instinctive game‑sense that has defined England’s most successful captains in recent years.