Former England captain Nasser Hussain praised Joe Root’s recent decision to eliminate the team curfew, calling it a mature step, but he also expressed concerns that the returning skipper sometimes lacks the intuitive grasp of the game that his predecessor Ben Stokes possessed. Root has now led England on a record 65 occasions, most recently during the second Test loss to New Zealand earlier this summer.
That match came after Stokes and bowler Gus Atkinson were suspended for breaching a curfew that had been introduced following the 4‑1 Ashes defeat 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 scrap the curfew ahead of the three‑Test series against Pakistan, which began on Wednesday on Sky Sports. "If you have a curfew, you’ve already lost control of the squad. There’s nothing constructive about imposing a rule that someone is bound to break.
Treat the players like adults; if they behave poorly, fine them, and if they continue, leave them out. A professional side shouldn’t need a curfew – it only highlights how dire the situation was when the restriction 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 have stumbled in eight of their last thirteen Tests, a slump that followed a 2‑1 series defeat to New Zealand which effectively closed the ‘Bazball’ chapter and also coincided with Ben Stokes’s retirement from international cricket. Root’s first permanent spell as captain ended in a similarly barren run: he managed just one victory in his final seventeen Tests before stepping down in 2022. Hussain reflected on that period, noting that Root was handed a massive “hospital pass” for the second Test at The Oval against New Zealand.
"That was very recent, not four years ago, and it reminded me of some of the difficulties Joe faced as captain. For a player of his calibre, who usually senses the tempo of a game, he seemed to lose that feel on that particular occasion. He was almost trying to emulate Stokes, pushing his men forward on a bouncy Oval pitch where the ball was staying low. He didn’t quite have the game sense that made Stokes such an effective leader." Hussain also hinted that he might have leaned toward Harry Brook as a captain, saying, "Brook, in the white‑ball arena, shows a real feel for the game and an aura that commands respect.
I understand the scheduling pressures, but his instinct is evident." Brook, despite serving as England’s white‑ball vice‑captain, was passed over for the Test role in that second‑Test at The Oval. The selectors may have been reluctant to overload the 27‑year‑old with the full‑time Test job, especially after his public spat with a nightclub bouncer before an ODI against New Zealand last winter, which attracted considerable criticism. Former England great Michael Atherton, who recently sat down with Root, asked the captain, "Are you doing this out of duty or genuine desire?" Root replied that duty played a part because there were few alternatives – "once you rule out Brook across all three formats, who else is left?" He also stressed his excitement about the opportunity, noting that he feels he now has a stronger fast‑bowling unit to work with.
Root’s loyalty to the previous regime was evident when he spoke highly of former New Zealand captain‑coach Brendon McCullum. "I think McCullum was an excellent coach for me as a batsman and for the team, even if things didn’t end perfectly.
I’m not planning to discard everything that worked under Bazball; I want to keep the effective elements and add my own touch. The most important thing for me is not to impose a rigid, pre‑determined style on the side," he explained.
In the squad for the upcoming series, Essex opener Jordan Cox will occupy the No 3 slot for the first two Tests, replacing the injured Jacob Bethell. Cox’s only other Test experience came in the second‑Test defeat to New Zealand at The Oval, where he made 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 leader on a more personal level.
"I’ve spent about three and a half weeks with Joe in The Hundred and we’ve got along brilliantly. Batting together in the nets, chatting about cricket and life – it’s been fantastic.
Test cricket is the pinnacle, and although The Hundred finished yesterday, we had a good training session and now we’re gearing up for a big Test match," he said. The three‑Test series between England and Pakistan will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket from August 19. Fans can also stream the matches and other sporting events without a contract through the NOW platform. Overall, while Hussain applauds Root’s willingness to treat his players as mature professionals and to discard a curfew that he believes signalled a low point for the team, he remains cautious about Root’s instinctive leadership.
The former England star argues that a captain must possess an innate feel for the flow of a Test match – a quality he felt was more pronounced in Stokes and, to a degree, in Brook. As Root embarks on this new chapter, the cricketing world will be watching closely to see whether his adult‑style decision‑making translates into on‑field success and whether he can develop the subtle game‑sense that separates good captains from great ones.