Movable Object v Stoppable Force

CP previews England v Pakistan

England against Pakistan is here. The series of the movable object versus the stoppable force.

Both of these teams are bad. Pakistan, at least, know it. While England are yet to admit it. In Joe Root’s thirty minute sit-down with Michael Atherton last week, the reappointed captain described success with this team as stemming from an “evolution…of the good things we’ve got.”

Root is in a peculiar position. He’s taken over from his best mate, who captained under a coach whose style piqued Root’s interest in the top job again, and was appointed ahead of the next-in-line 27-year-old who has been the poster boy for the previous era. To rip it up and start again would be to point to sins committed by his nearest and dearest. But from a personal standpoint, Root would do well to recognise that beyond this series against Pakistan, a fiendishly difficult 18 months of Test cricket lies in wait, and he’s been dealt a duff hand.

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Yes, England should beat Pakistan. But after that, with an inexperienced batting line-up, he will take his team to South Africa where the hosts will be heavy favourites. Then, England go to Bangladesh, who just did have a win… of some sorts… on which I couldn’t possibly comment. That’s before The Ashes arrives, which is followed by a five-match trip to India. Root finished his previous captaincy tenure with one win in 17. There’s a world where the results in his next 17 aren’t that much better.