NEW DELHI: England’s Joe Root has said he is ready to take on the mantle of Test skipper should Alastair Cook decide to relinquish the captaincy.

Root, part of the England limited-overs squad currently in India, has been widely tipped to take over the Test reins if Cook decides to stand down after five years at the helm.

Calls for a change of leadership gained ground after England suffered a 4-0 drubbing in the Test series against India at the end of last year, with Cook going on to say that Root was “ready” for the job.

“I’d like to think so,” Root told the English media in Pune when asked whether he was ready to captain England in Tests.

“I’ve got a lot of experience behind me now in Test cricket, and I feel that I would have something to offer. But hopefully it won’t come to that. Cooky’s a great leader. We’ll see what happens,” said Root.

The 26-year-old batsman has represented England in 53 Tests, scoring 4,594 runs at an average of 52.80.

Cook, 32, is to meet England’s director of cricket Andrew Strauss on Friday but he is unlikely to make an immediate call on his future as the team’s next Test assignment is not until July when they play South Africa.

Root, who was England’s highest run-getter in the five Tests against India, said he had spoken to Cook after the tour but only regarding parenting after he also became a new father.

“I’ve spoken to Cooky a couple of times but it’s been about how the baby is doing and whether we needed any help so he’s been good in that respect,” said Root.

“I’m clueless as to what’s going on and I just hope he makes a decision he’s happy with. He needs space.

“As a player I really would like to see him continue as captain because he’s a great leader and he can take this team forward,” he added.

Root top-scored for England with 78 in the first ODI on Sunday before sparkling centuries from Kohli and Kedar Jadhav enabled India to chase down their target of 351 with 11 balls to spare.

England, led by limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan, are scheduled to play two further ODIs and three T20 Internationals in India.

Meanwhile, Root said he will not be available to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year as he is eager to spend time at home with his newborn son.

One of the most sought-after batsmen of his era, Root has been reportedly been contacted by several franchises of the T20 league beginning on April 5.

“It is a shame because there is a really good window in the international calendar to play. But looking at the schedule, especially next winter, I am going to be away for long periods,” Root said.

“This will be a great opportunity to spend time at home and watch [son] Alfred grow up a little bit. A lot of great things would come from the IPL, a lot of great experiences and I am sure it would help to improve my game. “But at the moment being at home is my priority and I want to make sure I do not miss out on that. It is quite tough being away in these early days so it will be nice to catch up.”

Published in Dawn January 18th, 2017