THE ASHES
Ashes 2021-22: Root backs Silverwood to stay on as England coach
Joe Root has backed Chris Silverwood to stay on as head coach despite England's disappointing Ashes campaign
Silverwood's position, which he has held since being promoted from bowling coach in October 2019, is under growing pressure with England 3-0 down to Australia.
The 46-year-old presided over the Test defeats in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne before missing last week's drawn fourth Test in Sydney because of COVID-19.
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He is now back with the squad for the start of Friday's final Test in Hobart and Root is hopeful it will not be Silverwood's last at the helm.
Asked if he would like to see Silverwood remain in charge, Root said: "Yes, I would.
"It was a difficult week for the group of players with him not being around and it must have been very difficult for him.
"But I think the performances we put in during the first three games, I feel we've let him and the coaches down to a degree.
"We've not played anywhere near the level we're capable of. It's a chance to do that this week."
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 7, 2022
England have a three-Test series with West Indies to come after the Ashes and then host New Zealand, India and South Africa later in the year.
They suffered nine Test defeats in a logistically challenging 2021 that forced Silverwood to shuffle his resources due to COVID bubbles and player withdrawals.
And Root praised Silverwood for the manner in which he has gone about his business over the past 18 months or so.
"I think he's very calm, he has the respect of the guys and he's got a desperation to see everyone do well or up-skill the players as best he can," Root said.
"He's had a very difficult time of it with the environments we've been living in, trying to manage winning matches with bubble environments away from home, and multi-format players trying to prepare for an Ashes and a World Cup. It's very difficult.
"For a long time we've not been able to put our best teams out because we've been constantly trying to make sure from a mental wellbeing point of view everyone is looked after properly, because of the schedule we've dealt with over two years."
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