The result of the series has highlighted a serious need for changes in the domestic game, with skipper Joe Root himself stating that players are not adequately prepared for tours on foreign soil. Atherton, who holds the record for the number of Test matches played as England captain, agrees that changes need to be made in county cricket. "This hammering, on the back of a desperate year for the Test team, should signal the need for some change. "Root is an outstanding man, brilliant batsman and a captain who has run his race. "I believe that I am the right man to take this team forward," he said after the conclusion of the fifth Test in Hobart.

Source: The Times January 17, 2022 15:43 UTC