Ian Botham: Joe Root should be England captain

Ian Botham wants Alastair Cook removed as captain

London, May 11 (IANS) Former all-rounder Ian Botham says it is time to drop Alastair Cook as England captain and replace him with Joe Root adding that ex-Australia pacer Jason Gillespie would be the perfect candidate for the post of England coach.

"The shake-up that the England cricket team has long needed is underway and the selection of Jason Gillespie as coach would be a perfect fit. But he should not be the only new appointment in the dressing room, he should be taking charge alongside Joe Root," Botham was quoted as saying by skysports.com on Monday.

The 59-year-old, who has 383 wickets and 14 centuries to his name in Test cricket, added that it is time for Cook to take up the responsibility of the mistakes he committed over the last few months.

"It is time for Alastair Cook to move aside and take some of the responsibility for the mistakes that have been made over the last 18 months. He has seen off almost all the coaches and management from the debacle Down Under (2013-14 Ashes whitewash), he has seen (former director) Paul Downton come and go and now Peter Moores, yet he is still captain. How does that work," he asked.

"Moores appears to be the man taking the flak and responsibility for what happened in the Caribbean but didn't the captain pick the team too? The coach has been axed, part of which is down to a lack of international nous. Well, I want to know what Alastair Cook is doing with 100-plus caps worth of Test match experience because I'm not seeing it."

Botham said that he wants Root and Gillespie combine together to make England an attacking unit.

"Cook is a fine Test batsman, but he is not a captain. I would give the job to Root and tell him to mould an attacking team with an attacking coach in Gillespie," he said.