Ruth holds the record for most victories as England ‘s test leader, with 27 leading one ahead of Michael Vaughan and three ahead of Sir Alaster Cook and Sir Andrew Strauss. But the last 12 months have been sad. After winning the first three Tests of 2021, England have won just one since, losing 11 and drawing five of their last 17. “After returning from the Caribbean tour and having time to think, I decided to give up,” Root said. “It was the most difficult decision I had to make in my career, but I have discussed it with my family and the people closest to me. I know the timing is right. The Spin: sign up and receive our weekly email cricket. “I am very proud to have been the leader of my country and I will look back on the last five years with great pride. It was my honor to do the job and to be the custodian of what is the pinnacle of English cricket. I liked to lead my country, but recently it was recorded how much impact it had on me and the impact it had on me away from the game. “I want to take this opportunity to thank my family, who lived it all with me and were incredible pillars of love and support throughout. All the players, coaches and support staff who helped me during my tenure. It was a great privilege to be with them on this journey. I would also like to thank all the fans of England for their unwavering support. We are lucky to have the best fans in the world, and wherever we play, this positivity is something we always love and admire, something that is a huge motivator for all of us out there. “I’m excited to continue representing her [team] and producing performances that will allow the team to succeed. “I look forward to helping the next captain, my teammates and my coaches in any way I can.” Quick guide
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Thank you for your response. ECB CEO Tom Harrison said: “Joe has been an outstanding role model during his tenure, balancing the demands of the Test leadership as he continues to shine brightly through his own personal performance. He set the example, and this resulted in more Test victories than any other England leader, along with a number of famous home and away victories. “Joe’s leadership skills were demonstrated by how he led the team through some of the most difficult and uncertain times we have ever known, playing during a pandemic around the world, which says a lot about him as a leader and as a person.”