"The last couple of years, it's took the life of me, really" - Joe Root reflects on his journey as England Test team captain 

England batter Joe Root has shed light on how captaincy took a toll on him, especially during the final stages of his tenure. The Yorkshire-born player stepped down as captain of the Test side following their 1-0 series defeat in the Caribbean in March this year.

Root, who led England in 64 Tests, became the most successful captain after leading the team to victories in 27 matches. However, the pressure was mounting on him after a 4-0 series defeat in The Ashes away from home.

The England Cricket Board (ECB) decided to go for an overhaul in management and coaching personnel while retaining Root as captain. The ace batter eventually stepped down as skipper, with all-rounder Ben Stokes taking over the reins.

Claiming that the pressure of being England's captain affected his life in a poor way, Root said on Telegraph Sport’s Vaughany and Tuffers Cricket Club podcast:

“The last couple of years, it's took the life of me, really. And it did take its toll. It was the right decision for the group, first and foremost, but also for me personally, I wasn't myself."

He added:

“I was coming home from series and I wasn't able to switch off or wasn't able to be present with my family. And I could see myself as a shadow of the person that I want to be. I think sometimes you've got to be big enough to understand that it's time to move on and time for someone else to take that great honour on."

Root assumed the captaincy of the team in 2017 after Sir Alistair Cook handed over his resignation. His major accomplishments as skipper include a 4-1 series win over India in 2018 and a series win in the subcontinent against Sri Lanka.

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"I think it had been coming for a long time" - Joe Root

Root was often left stranded and lacked the backing of his teammates on the batting front. He amassed runs both home and away while England struggled in the longest format.

Shedding light on his decision to quit as Test captain, he added:

“It was when I got home from the West Indies tour. I think it had been coming for a long time. I just didn't want to believe it. Out there (West Indies), I was desperate to turn things around. To come back to England, have a fresh look at things, but I'm so glad that we went about things the way we did."

He concluded by saying:

"And I spoke to Ben personally, as my vice-captain and probably closest friend within the group first, and quite a while before anyone else. And then it was quite a relief once I'd spoken to family and got that off my chest."

It all turned out well for England as Stokes settled quickly into his role as Test skipper. The appointment of Brendon McCullum as head coach also helped things, with England winning five out of their last six Tests.

Do you think Joe Root made the right call by quitting the Test captaincy? Let us know what you think.