Geoffrey Boycott urges Joe Root to resign as captain if England fail to win third Ashes Test
Geoffrey Boycott has asked Joe Root to give up his captaincy if England loses the third Ashes Test at Headingley.
Australia just needs to win one of the remaining three matches in the seires to ensure they retain the Ashes, eventhough they are without Steve Smith for this game.
In a perfect pitch for bowling, England bundled up Australia for 179 but struggled for periods despite the fitting conditions.
In response, England lost six wickets in the first innings on the second morning, including Joe Root for a back-to-back duck to allow Australia to carve their way back into the game.
Joe Root as captain is yet to win a match against Australia and Geoffrey Boycott who captained England in four Tests in 1977-78 feels an extention of that run should lead to the end of his term as a skipper.
"He's got to start by winning a Test against Australia - he's had seven and not won one," he told Test Match Special.
"And if you can't win this one after winning the toss you won't get a better pitch to bowl on, overcast, murky, terrible day which is perfect for Headingley, and then the sun comes out.
"Even if you say both teams are equal you have to win this one. If you don't win this you might as well give up the job. You might as well if you can't win this one if you win the toss in conditions like that and when it is sunny today.
"Their best batsman (Smith) isn't playing as well. You couldn't ask for anything more, could you?"
Joe Root has an average of 40.40 with the bat after succeeding Alastair Cook as captain. In his last 14 Tests that average plummeted to 29.30.
But Geoffrey Boycott feels that Joe Roots lacks the instinct to lead a side at Test level.
During Australia’s first innings, fielders were placed on the boundary with the visitors nine wickets down.
And in day one in Leeds, England continued to place four fielders in the slip even during Warner and Labuschagne’s 111 run stand for the third wicket, before Jofra Archer’s 6/45 saved England.
