Ashes 2017/18: How big of a disaster was it?

Baptism of fire for Root:

Joe Root's first overseas tour as captain was a combination of controversy, lack of resources and a high-class Australian bowling attack

In his first overseas assignment as England’s newly appointed Test captain, Joe Root certainly underwent a baptism of fire as far as captaincy was concerned. While with the bat, the series may have been quiet for him, his captaincy displayed that England have chosen the right man to lead them in the longest format.

While there were many occasions where England could have pressed home the advantage but failed, the one moment where they had left the Aussies, or one Aussie rather, in David Warner, gasping for air was in the 4th Test at the MCG.

Warner spent an uncharacteristically long time in the 90s, especially as he inched painfully towards his hundred. The faux-pas that occurred on 99 aside, it was a period of play that saw England actually inducing a false shot from an Australian batsman, giving us glimpses of Root’s capability with the thinking hat.