Players committed to England regime

JOE Root insists England’s players remain “absolutely committed” to the current regime after an overdue Ashes win in Melbourne eased some of the mounting pressure.

- By RORY DOLLARD

Jacob Bethell, Ben Stokes and Joe Root leave the field at Melbourne on Saturday

Head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key both faced questions over their future after England surrendered the urn with three consecutive defeats, but the prospect of a whitewash is now gone after a two-day victory at the MCG.

Having stemmed the bleeding with a first win in 19 Tests in Australia, they have one more chance to end a damaging tour on a positive note when they head to Sydney for the New Year Test.

But the England and Wales Cricket Board will still be asking what went wrong and what changes need to be made when the dust settles.

Root knows all about the pressure, leaving his role as captain a few months after the 4-0 defeat in the 2021-22 series, a trip which also ended the reigns of Chris Silverwood and Ashley Giles behind the scenes. And he has launched a staunch support of McCullum and Key.