Joe Root’s impressive batting exploits continued at The Oval, but England’s defeat to New Zealand saw the former captain add another unwanted addition to his record book.In passing 14,000 Test runs and becoming the first to score 2,000 Test runs against New Zealand, Root now equals former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming for the second most wickets as a Test skipper. England’s 253-run defeat at The Oval was the 27th defeat of Root’s captaincy, leaving only South Africa’s Graeme Smith, who lost 29. However, the numbers are even more impressive when viewed through the lens of loss. Root took 27 wickets in just 66 Tests as captain, resulting in a strike rate of 40.91%. Fleming conceded 27 wickets in 80 Tests at a loss rate of 33.75 per cent, while Smith led South Africa in 109 Tests and finished with the lowest strike rate of 26.61 per cent despite having the record for most defeats.Most matches lost as Test captain
| Responsibility | A player | Groups | Career Span as a Captain | Tests Tested | A loser | loss % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graeme Smith | South Africa and the ICC | 2003–2014 | 109 | 29 | 26.61% |
| 2 | Stephen Fleming | new Zealand | 1997-2006 | 80 | 27 | 33.75% |
| 2 | Joe Root | England | 2017-2026 | 66 | 27 | 40.91% |
| 3 | Brian Lara | West Indies | 1998-2006 | 47 | 26 | 55.32% |
| 4 | Allan Border | Australia | 1984-1994 | 93 | 22 | 23.66% |
| 4 | Craig Brathwaite | West Indies | 2017-2025 | 39 | 22 | 56.41% |
| 4 | Alastair Cook | England | 2012-2016 | 59 | 22 | 37.29% |
| 5 | Mike Atherton | England | 1993-2001 | 54 | 21 | 38.89% |
| 5 | Jason Holder | West Indies | 2015–2020 | 37 | 21 | 56.76% |
| 6 | Misbah-ul-Haq | Pakistan | 2011-2017 | 56 | 19 | 33.93% |
Root stepped down as England Test captain in April 2022 following a difficult period. But he returned for the second Test against New Zealand after regular skipper Ben Stokes was suspended by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for breaching the team’s midnight curfew and having a drunken brawl at a nightclub.The ECB’s decision to hand the captaincy to Root in place of vice-captain Harry Brook was announced shortly after the England selection. Along with Stokes, fast bowler Gus Atkinson was unavailable after playing in the night game, while Ollie Robinson missed the game due to injury.This absence forced England to field three players in the center in favor of a more experienced side, and New Zealand made the most of the opportunity.The visitors scored 391 in the first innings before bowling out England to take a 100-run lead. New Zealand then chased down another 361 in the second innings to set England a target of 463.Any hope of an unexpected escape quickly vanished on the fifth morning. England resumed on 182/5 but lost their five wickets in just 48 minutes when Matt Henry went through the bottom.Henry finished with impressive figures of 6-29 in the second innings and 11-109 in the match, recording his first ten wickets in Test cricket and the best figures by a New Zealand bowler against England. England were bowled out for 209, giving New Zealand a 253-run victory and leading the series ahead of the selectors in Nottingham.Root was England’s biggest hope last morning, but he added just two runs to his overnight tally before Henry caught him lbw for 77, ending the hosts’ resistance.Although Root now equals Fleming on 27 defeats, his loss rate of 40.91 per cent is much higher than Fleming’s and Smith’s, showing why his captaincy remains one of the most scrutinized among modern Test captains.
