Former England Test great Nasser Hussain praised Joe Root’s recent decision to eliminate the team curfew, calling it a mature step, yet he also expressed concerns that the England skipper sometimes lacks the intuitive feel for the game that his predecessor Ben Stokes possessed. Root, who has now led England on a record 65 Tests, most recently captained the side in a second‑Test loss to New Zealand earlier this summer. That series came after Stokes and fast‑bowler Gus Atkinson were suspended for breaching a curfew that had been introduced following the 4‑1 Ashes defeat in the winter. During the latest episode of the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, aired live on Sky Sports ahead of the three‑Test series against Pakistan, Hussain described Root’s curfew‑free policy as “just a grown‑up decision”.
He argued that imposing a curfew suggests a loss of control over the players and that such restrictions inevitably lead to someone breaking the rule. “Treat your players like adults,” he said.
“If they don’t behave, fine them first and then, if necessary, leave them out.” According to Hussain, a professional outfit should not need a curfew; its existence only highlights how poorly the team was functioning when the rule was first introduced. Hussain added, “I’m really pleased that Joe has said ‘no, enough of that nonsense’.” The immediate challenge for Root is to revive an England side that has lost eight of its last thirteen Tests, a slump that began after the 2‑1 series defeat to New Zealand that marked the end of the Bazball era and coincided with Ben Stokes’ retirement from international cricket. Root’s first permanent spell as England captain also ended on a bleak note, with just one victory in his final seventeen Tests before he stepped down in 2022. Hussain reflected on that period, recalling a recent match at The Oval against New Zealand.
“He was given the biggest of hospital passes for that second Test at the Oval,” Hussain said, noting that the memory was fresh, not a distant one from four years ago. “For a player of his calibre, who usually has a good feel for the tempo of a game, he seemed to lose that feel on that occasion.” Hussain suggested that Root was perhaps trying too hard to emulate Stokes, attempting to drive the team forward on a bouncy Oval pitch where the ball was staying low. “He didn’t have the feel of the game,” Hussain asserted. “That’s what I liked about Stokes’ captaincy – he had a real feel for it.” While he praised Root’s willingness to lead, Hussain also hinted that he might have leaned toward Harry Brook as an alternative, noting that Brook shows a natural sense of the game in white‑ball cricket.
“He has an aura about him,” Hussain said, “but I understand the scheduling pressures and other factors at play.” Brook, despite serving as England’s white‑ball vice‑captain, was passed over for the Test role in that Oval match. The selectors may have been reluctant to burden the 27‑year‑old with the full‑time Test captaincy, especially after his off‑field incident involving a nightclub bouncer before an ODI against New Zealand last winter, which attracted considerable criticism. Michael Atherton, who recently interviewed Root, asked the skipper whether his decision to stay on was driven by duty or genuine desire.
Atherton summed up the situation: “There’s really nobody else. If you don’t want Harry Brook to do it across three formats, who else is left?” He sensed that Root was genuinely excited about the opportunity, noting that the captain felt he had a strong fast‑bowling attack at his disposal. Atherton also praised Root’s loyalty to the legacy of former coach Brendon McCullum, saying that Root spoke highly of McCullum’s influence on his batting and on the team, even though that partnership ended poorly.
Root, according to Atherton, wants to retain the successful elements of Bazball while adding his own imprint. “He’s careful not to say he’ll throw everything out,” Atherton observed.
“He wants to keep the bits that worked and perhaps put his own stamp on it.” Most importantly, Root has stated that he will not force a predetermined style on the side, preferring to let the players express themselves within a framework that encourages positive, attacking cricket. In the squad for the upcoming series, Essex batsman Jordan Cox will feature at number three in the first two Tests, replacing the injured Jacob Bethell. Cox previously appeared at number six in the second Test loss to New Zealand at the Oval, scoring 27 and 25 in his two innings. He has been training alongside Root in The Hundred, where they were teammates for Welsh Fire.
Cox described the experience as an opportunity to get to know the captain on a more personal level: “I’ve spent three‑and‑a‑half weeks with Joe in The Hundred, batting together in the nets and talking about cricket and life. It’s been awesome.” Cox added that while The Hundred had just concluded, the focus now shifts to the pinnacle of the sport – Test cricket – and that the extra training time they shared would be valuable ahead of the Pakistan series. The three‑Test series between England and Pakistan is set to begin on August 19 and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket. Fans can also stream the matches and other sports without a contract through NOW.
Overall, the debate surrounding Root’s leadership continues. While his decision to scrap the curfew is lauded as a sign of maturity and trust in his players, critics like Hussain remind us that effective captaincy also demands an instinctive grasp of match situations – a quality that some feel Root has yet to fully demonstrate. As England prepares to face Pakistan, the stakes are high: the team must not only shed the shadow of recent defeats but also prove that a more adult, player‑centric approach can translate into consistent on‑field success.