England batsman Joe Root has admitted the difficulties of being England captain, with the former test skipper revealing tough moments during his tenure.
Root was replaced as England skipper by Ben Stokes last year, with the all-rounder stepping up to the role alongside new head coach Brendon McCullum.
England have overseen an impressive overhaul, with McCullum and Stokes' brand of attacking cricket providing fans with a change from a more conservative approach under Root and former head coach Chris Silverwood. However, Root himself is thriving, with an average of 59 and 13 centuries since leaving the role.
The 32-year-old has returned to the number one spot in the test batting rankings following his century during the opening Ashes Test earlier this month, but has reflected on tougher times beforehand.
Often captaincy can affect players' performances, but Root has insisted that he relished the chance to take to the crease in order to take his mind off the demands of the job.
Speaking to the BBC, he said: "There were periods when I was captain, batting wasn't necessarily fun, it was about going out there to have some peace and quiet, having some time to myself," he explained. "It was a time to shut off from the rest of the world, to just have me and the cricket ball. It worked."
Cricket captains have a more wide-ranging role as skipper than in other sports, with a role in selection, as well as the need to be constantly managing the bowling order and field positions.
Root is widely regarded as one of the best batsmen in the world, with his average of 50.76 throughout an 1 1 year career at test level marking him out as one of England's greatest of the modern era. However, he has now not won an Ashes series since 2015, with Australia enjoying dominance during his reign as 'skipper following the retirement of former captain Alastair Cook.
Root remains England's go-to man when looking to build a score, with his place in England's batting order assured for years to come. the Yorkshireman continued by outlining the need to keep working, with his best years yet to come amid an exciting time for English cricket.
"Sport can be funny and very fickle. You have to respect the game and work hard. You have to enjoy every minute of that journey." He added. "I feel like the most exciting and best years are still ahead of me. At 32, it's really exciting to be able to say that."
England continue their Ashes series on Wednesday, with the second test against Australia taking place at Lord's. Root and his colleagues will be looking to build on their performances in the first test, with an impressive England performance despite their narrow two-wicket defeat at Edgbaston.
