Team responded well to recent chaos: Joe Root after England beats Pakistan 3-0

England players celebrate their series win over Pakistan on Saturday. | Photo Credit: AP

England captain Joe Root on Saturday said that his team had “responded well” after a slew of controversies had marred the build-up to the Pakistan series.

“There’s been a lot of chaos around this series before a ball was bowled,” Root said after England beat Pakistan by eight wickets in Birmingham to clinch a 3-0 series sweep.

Root took charge of the side after Ben Stokes’ shock retirement during the Trent Bridge Test against New Zealand. The all-rounder had been suspended from the second Test following a disciplinary probe into a nightclub trip with teammate Gus Atkinson.

England lost the series 2-1 which led to head coach Brendon McCullum being relieved of his red-ball duties. His compatriot Stephen Fleming is set to take over.

“I think the way we’ve handled it on and off the field, the way everyone understands what is expected of them, both as a player and how we want to carry ourselves, is a really good thing.

“It’s been a very unusual summer, hasn’t it? There’s been a lot of different things happen. We had a resignation mid-series, there has been a few off-field incidents and we’ve got a new coach. But ultimately, the thing that I care about and the most important thing is what happens from that. I think the way that we’ve responded to that has been excellent,” he said.

England has been accused of a lack of professionalism after several players, including captain Stokes, were reported to have breached the midnight curfew rules imposed with the team.

The trend continued even under Root as Brydon Carse was involved in an incident outside a nightclub before the second Test against Pakistan. Carse was removed from the squad and Root urged that a change in culture will take time to inculcate.

“When you’re trying to build a culture it doesn’t happen overnight and it doesn’t happen over the course of three or four weeks,” he said.

“It’s going to take time to keep working at that, living it day in and day out, and that’s something we’ll continue to keep working at. We’ve made some really good strides in the right direction.”