Joe Root returns to help England salvage unbeaten run as West Indies eye historic victory

There is a gaping hole at Emirates Old Trafford where the gigantic ‘party stand’ is erected every summer offering a stark reminder that we are living in different times.

West Indies this week have the opportunity to show that we are entering a new era on the field too with the opportunity to win their first Test series in England since 1988 and anywhere in the world against top quality opposition (in other words not Zimbabwe or Bangladesh before they improved) for a quarter of a century.

Joe Root returns to captain England looking to avert their first home Test series defeat since the loss to Sri Lanka in 2014, an unbeaten run of 11 series, that nearly precipitated Alastair Cook’s resignation as captain.

Root will forge forward to the next Ashes series regardless of this result and his return increases England’s chances of levelling the series at a ground where he averages 85 and made his highest Test score.

But England have to level the series against a West Indies team better prepared than them, particularly Root who did not play in the intra-squad warm up match and has not batted in the middle since March 13. West Indies spent almost a month training in Manchester before the series, and played two practice matches on the ground so are better versed with conditions in these unusual times.

England have only had one incomplete net session outdoors since arriving in Manchester on Monday. They were not happy with one of the net pitches on Tuesday after a ball reared up off a length from Jofra Archer to Ben Stokes, so moved indoors and then it rained all morning on Wednesday, forcing them back to the indoor school again.

They twice delayed naming their squad, giving a general sense of uncertainty over their thinking, before announcing that James Anderson and Mark Wood are both rested. Stuart Broad returns and with a cloudy day forecast on Thursday both sides will probably look to bowl first. The recent wet weather in Manchester has dampened the pitch and is expected to have taken some of the usual sting out of it so Wood and his extra pace will be missed. Chris Woakes will add depth to the batting and is likely to be the third of three changes, the other being Root for Joe Denly.

Jason Holder, and head coach, Phil Simmons, have spent the days since the win in Southampton by keeping players’ feet on the floor but also enjoying the acclaim back home. On Tuesday night Holder was on a radio show in Barbados along with Prime Ministers from three islands showing how united the region is behind the captain.

“The reception we’ve got, not only from the heads of government but the people of the Caribbean has been tremendous,” said Holder. “This Covid period has put a dampener on things for the world and things like cricket, especially in the Caribbean unify. We’ve got a lot more to play for and to be on the show with the three Prime Ministers was great knowing they are 100 percent behind us, great knowing they pay so much attention to it. I was blown away.”

Holder has constructed a team in his own image, helped, according to his friend Carlos Brathwaite, by moving on from the big stars such as Chris Gayle who had so many run ins with the West Indies board and had lost their passion for Test cricket. Holder cannot be undermined by players more senior than him anymore and has surrounded himself with a group who graduated together from the West Indies academy and are committed to Test cricket. There is a sense of togetherness and the unusual circumstances of this tour have played into their hands.

By having extra reserves in case of a Covid outbreak they were able to draft Shannon Gabriel in as a spare bowler without having to risk him as one of 15 players in a normal squad. They were then able to promote him from the reserves when he proved his fitness in the Manchester training camp and he responded with nine wickets and a man of the match performance in the first Test.

The expanded squad and isolated living conditions have enabled Holder and Simmons to work with fringe players, giving them a clear idea of what they expect from Test players which could prove invaluable as the team evolves. Gabriel should play again this week, with West Indies expected to name the same XI.

History is on their side. Only once since 2008 has a team managed to come back and win after losing the first Test of a three-match series and it has happened just eight times this century. The bad news for West Indies is that one of those occasions was in 2007, the last time they went 1-0 up in an away series.

Ben Stokes hands over to Root after becoming the first England captain to lose his first Test since Michael Vaughan 17 years ago. There are shades of Vaughan about Stokes, particularly his astute man management skills. He spent time with Broad the night he was told he was dropped from the side and his arm around Jofra Archer as the teams took the field on the final day was noticeable.

Root has sometimes been cold with Archer on the field and appears to struggle to communicate with him. Perhaps it is because Stokes knows personally the physical effort of bowling and is better able to empathise. Archer responded to Stokes with his best spell for nearly a year.

Denly’s Test career is over with no realistic way back for a 34 year-old left out after 15 matches. Root was generous in his praise but it is time to move on with Zak Crawley at three. There is always a player under pressure. It moves on rotation through the team.

Now it is Jos Buttler who needs a good match on his home ground. Ed Smith backed Denly and Buttler to be Test players so he too will be anxious this week. Smith plucked Buttler out of the IPL in 2018 saying “Jos playing his way has the potential to be a really positive force.” Time for that force to come good.