Champions Trophy 2025: Joe Root backs “brilliant” England captain Jos Buttler
Buttler’s side won only three of nine matches as defending champions at the 50-over World Cup in India in 2023.
Last year they reached the semi-finals in their defence of the T20 World Cup but were ultimately well beaten by India, having lost to Australia and South Africa earlier in the tournament.
Root captained England in 64 Tests from 2017 to 2022 – the most of any player. He won a record 27 of those matches but ended his tenure with one win in 17 before resigning in 2022. He also suffered two heavy defeats in Ashes series in Australia.
“I certainly think that this team are doing more things right than maybe some of the teams I captained,” Root said.
England’s difficult position at the Champions Trophy comes after defeat by Australia in their opening game on Saturday.
They scored 351-8, with Ben Duckett making 165, but still lost by five wickets. It follows four defeats in a row in bilateral one-day international series.
“What I would say is you can be frustrated by it or you can be excited by it,” Root said.
“The fact that we are doing a lot of things right is a good thing and that’s what we have to really focus on.”
England are expected to make one change for Wednesday’s match in Lahore after bowler Brydon Carse was ruled out of the tournament with a toe injury.
Rehan Ahmed has been called up in his place, but the leg-spinner is not expected to arrive in Pakistan until Wednesday so Jamie Overton is most likely to replace Carse.
