ENGLAND TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND, 2018

Root intent on 'doing things differently' to end overseas woes

by Rob Johnston • Last updated on

It's highly likely England will use Broad as a first change bowler in the two-Test series. © Getty

Ahead of the first Test against New Zealand at Eden Park on Thursday (March 22), England captain Joe Root has admitted that his team have to look at different ways of doing things if they are to improve their poor recent away form in Test cricket.

England have won just one of their last eight overseas series and have lost nine of their last 12 Test matches away from home. The 4-0 Ashes humbling was a dispiriting affair and it followed a similar demoralising 4-0 loss to India last winter. While Root was keen to point out that struggling away from home is a general theme of Test cricket rather than being particular to England, it is something he knows need improving.

"It is one of the biggest challenges within that format to try to make sure you can go overseas and adapt well to the conditions and make sure you can get something from the series," Root said. "I suppose there will be a lot of similarities in terms of the conditions and certain aspects of the cricket here in New Zealand to home.

"Over the last couple of years our form outside the UK has been quite disappointing so we need to make sure we are doing everything we can to put that right and change things slightly to give us a better chance of being more consistent on different surfaces."

To that end, it may be that Stuart Broad, currently on 399 wickets, does not take the new ball as he has done for 86 of the last 90 Tests he has played. Broad has struggled for wickets in the last twelve months, averaging 38, and England could use him as a first change bowler in certain matches in order to keep the intensity of their bowling up. Too often during the Ashes, Australia were let off the hook once James Anderson and Broad had finished their opening spells.

"You don't want to detract from your strengths as a team but if we keep doing things as we have done, we're not necessarily going to get different results. I think this is where we're looking at doing things slightly differently away from home, and if it is going to swing then we need to maximise that. Having continued pressure from both ends for a longer period of time is something which will definitely be brought to the table if Stuart is first change."

That might mean Chris Woakes pairing with Anderson in this match. Woakes opens the bowling for England in limited-overs cricket as well as for Warwickshire back home and can swing the new ball which is an important weapon in overseas conditions when the ball often doesn't move for long. "If we keep doing things exactly the same way then we might get exactly the same results. This is one small thing that might make a difference, it might not," added Root.

Another change from the Ashes series is that Ben Stokes has returned to the squad after missing the tour to Australia. He has come through various workouts this week after a back injury sustained during the one-day series which means he is fully fit to bowl although it may be that Root looks to manage his workload to ensure there is no recurrence.

"You get three players with Ben and certainly on his day probably the best three players within the side all in one. It is a huge boost to have him coming back into the team," Root said. "He is such a good character around the dressing-room. When he speaks about the game, he gets everyone's attention and people listen."

Stokes' return and a fully fit squad gives Root plenty of options ahead of his fourth series in charge as Test captain. "With the amount of injuries and Ben in the Ashes it has restricted a little bit how I wanted to do things," he said. "This is the first opportunity I've had to do that away from home.

"I wouldn't say I'm using Stuart as an example, I'm just trying to find the best way of making us successful here and maximising our chance of winning. I would hate to go into any series and say this is about me putting my stamp on things. This is about us winning and if we can find a way of doing that then I will have put my stamp on things."

© Cricbuzz

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