"My sole goal for this winter is to come home with the urn, it’s as simple as that"
Friday 27 October 2017 23:22, UK
With less than 24 hours before England depart for Australia, an eagerly-anticipated Ashes series drawing ever nearer, Joe Root fielded questions from the media gathered in the famous Lord’s Long Room, writes Sam Drury.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, though, much of the focus was on a man whom it seems increasingly unlikely will play any part in the tour.
Root calmly answered questions on Ben Stokes, his vice-captain, for the time being at least, but was determined not to allow the alleged incident in Bristol to take away from what he sees as a "great opportunity" for his side as they strive to retain the urn this winter.
"It's a great place to tour with very passionate fans who like to get involved and that makes for very entertaining cricket, a very entertaining spectacle, so I can't see a better place to go," Root said. "Hopefully we can put in some really good performances and do something really special as a side."
Doing so without the talismanic Stokes, though, undoubtedly makes an already sizeable challenge that much greater.
Without Stokes, England not only lose a world-class player but, with no like-for-like replacement, are also forced to rethink the entire balance of their side.
Again, Root was in no mood to dwell on the negatives. In Stokes' absence, others have a chance to shine.
"I think we've got to plan as if he is not going to be there for the whole series," Root added. "Ben obviously offers a lot to the team but, as I said, it is an opportunity for other guys to stand up.
"In difficult situations, a lot of the time, people do surprise themselves, surprise you and are capable of more than what they might even have thought themselves.
"There are also some guys who have come back into the England set-up or have come in for the first time who will be desperate to take that opportunity, take their chance.
"I look at where we are and how we're growing as a team and I think this is a great opportunity for us to keep developing and move forward again."
Discussion over the vice-captaincy will take place "soon", Root confirmed, but while the current deputy's unavailability could well see Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes promoted up the order, the skipper is not ready to bow to calls for him to move up to No 3.
Root will remain in his favoured spot at four as he looks to right the wrongs of the 2013/14 tour that saw him dropped for the final Test in Sydney and left him uncertain of his international future, but served only to strengthen his resolve to prove his worth.
"I didn't know if I'd get another opportunity," admitted Root. "As a 22-year-old lad being left out for the first time, all you want to do is go back to your county or wherever your next opportunity to play is and try and prove everyone wrong or try and really put your case forward.
"Then when you do get your next chance to play, stand up and grasp it with both hands. Thankfully, I did that and that really helped to drive me and make me want to improve and take my game forward.
"That drive is still there within me and I'm desperate to go back and have a better tour than last time I was there. It was hard [being dropped]. It was a tough tour, all round. But again, that is a great motivation for this one.
"You want to make sure you have completely different memories. Australia is a great place to go and play cricket, the pitches are fantastic and it can be a good place to go and bat and score big runs."
Clearly, big runs are the aim but there is only one goal Root has set himself this winter.
"I'm not a massive one for setting figures or goals for any series or tour. My sole goal for this winter is to come home with the urn, it's as simple as that, and be a part of a successful side that wins in Australia."
That single-mindedness may have led to the occasional bristle as another Stokes-based question came his way, just when it seemed the issue was closed, but could prove invaluable between now and the first Test as the Australians queue up to have their say on the forthcoming series.
David Warner's recent comments received short shrift from Root - "I don't think I would ever put cricket and war in the same bracket" - and the Yorkshireman showed no inclination of being cowed by comments coming from Australia.
"I don't think we should be daunted by the chat and the noise that can be around an Ashes tour. We should be excited about the opportunity and everything that presents and go out and try and prove a lot of people wrong over there."
Root's message is clear: this is not a tour for England to be scared of, it is one to enjoy. There is an opportunity to be seized.
