Joe Root and Jonathan Trott pre-match press conference, England vs Afghanistan, ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023

England player Joe Root and Afghanistan Coach Jonathan Trott pre-match press conference, England vs Afghanistan, ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

England player Joe Root

England player Joe Root pre-match press conference transcript

[Reporter:] I don't know if you're in a position to give us a health and fitness update on various people, we know Woakes was missing yesterday and obviously Ben's ongoing.

[Joe Root:] Yeah, Woakes on the bus today which is a great sign so I'm sure he'll enjoy training, seeing where he's at, and Ben seems to be getting better day on day. He trained really well last night, obviously had a long bat, did his running, seems to be improving, so all good signs ahead of tomorrow.

[Reporter:] You're an experienced captain in international cricket. Can you put yourself in that decision-making place and explain what the pros and cons are of getting Ben out on the field versus wrapping him in a bit of cotton wool for the back end?

[Joe Root:] I think he's just got to be ready to play.

Thankfully I'm not in that position anymore. As we all know, we have a team with Ben in it, it's a lot stronger. But he's got to be fit to play and we'll see whether that's the case for tomorrow, whether it's the next game or further down the line.

[Reporter:] Can you sum up the challenge of Afghanistan different to the two teams you've played already and what kind of different questions they might ask you as a team?

[Joe Root:] Yeah, I think every team in this tournament poses slightly different threats and you've just got to be ready and adaptable to be able to combat that. I think they've obviously got some world-class players; we've seen that on the domestic stage for a long time now and obviously internationally as well as the team.

So, from our point of view, we've just got to look to keep getting better.

I think we weren't where we wanted to be in the first game. We were considerably better in the last game against Bangladesh and this is another opportunity for us to take another stride forward and keep building that momentum and that progression towards the business end of this tournament and making sure that we are where we need to be by the back end of it

[Reporter:] And just on your own form if we rewind, I don't know a month you were trying to get a hit at Headingly to find a little bit of rhythm doesn't look like you've got any issues with rhythm at the moment.

[Joe Root:] No, I've felt like I do enjoy playing cricket here in India, I think it suits my game quite nicely and I did find that New Zealand series quite strange one you sort of trying to find yourself trying of getting yourself in a position where you're in a good place.

Of trying to find something to come to the World Cup with and I think when you get here and you're in that tournament mentality of this is what it's about, this is when you need to stand up and deliver, I think it's a different frame of mind and I think that really helped me coming out here and you've got a real purpose to what you're doing.

So, it's been nice to contribute in the first couple of games. It was nice, especially in the last game with us winning so convincingly. And hopefully, you know, carry that forward, not just individually, but collectively as a group, keep looking to grow and gain that confidence and take it into the next game each time.

[Reporter:] Obviously, Afghanistan, a real kind of, I guess, banana skin if you want to use a cliche. How determined are you guys not to be on the wrong end of a shock result tomorrow?

[Joe Root:] I don't think we want to look at what could go wrong. I think we've got to look at what we can do right and how we can affect the game in the right manner. That's how we'll prepare today. I think everyone knows what their job is and their role is.

It's a very experienced group. So, it'll be about going and delivering that and adapting to what's right in front of us when we get out there.

[Reporter:] And in terms of you being a batter, how big a challenge is Rashid Khan to face?

[Joe Root:] Yeah, I think the whole attack poses a number of different threats, so it's just making sure that you're ready for it. You read what's in front of you, you play the surface and you play the game that's mapped out for you, whether it's setting or chasing, generally you've got a good idea of what you think a score's going to be after a while out there. And when you're chasing, it's mapped out for you on the board what you need to do, so go and deliver on that and making sure that you outplay your opponents.

[Reporter:] Afghanistan have very good spinners in Rashid Khan and Mujibur Rahman. So how is the England team training to face the Spinners?

[Joe Root:] I think more than anything we make sure that we face what we need to and we concentrate on ourselves more than anything. I think that's the key. We all know our game is against Spinners. Making sure that when we get out there, we're confident in what our boundary options are going to be, how we're going to rotate, strike and build those big partnerships. I don't think that changes, it comes back to the basics of the game.

Doing them for long periods of time, playing the ball, not the man, all those clichés that seem to come out when you're talking about high pressure games.

So, it's just about doing that time and time again and making sure that you're doing it consistently well for a period of time so you stay on top.

Afghanistan Coach Jonathan Trott

Afghanistan Coach Jonathan Trott pre-match press conference transcript

[Reporter:] Two matches, two defeats, two contrasting performances. In the sense, first match batting didn't work, second match it was a decent score the bowling didn't work. How do you think you will address the issues and go about it?

How do I say two matches to contrasting performances question the first match 156 batting didn't work the second match it was a decent score 272 the bowling didn't work. How do you look to address the issues and go about it coming forward?

[Jonathan Trott:] In the past we've done better. I think it was obviously disappointing the first game. And certainly, to start a World Cup like that after having a good warm-up game against Sri Lanka, complete contrast in that.

So, I think with the side developing and going forward, there's always going to be a little bit of inconsistency but that's the things that we need to work on because at times we do things really well like we did in India we did a lot of things well - but at times we didn't get things right and we've got to get especially with a hundred overs of cricket we need to get close to 100 overs of cricket right.

At times we get 70-80% of it right, but the other 20-30% that we don't get right really ends up costing us.

Those are the things - starting tomorrow, well obviously starting the game well is going to be crucial against a very strong England side.

But going forward for the rest of the competition as well, we need to start better with bat and ball and set the standard of how we want to play our cricket.

[Reporter:] Your team has fairly young fast bowlers in say Naveen and Fazal Haq and even Omarzai. So, when you play a team like England who are going to try to attack from the start, how do you sort of instil the idea of keeping your chin up in a game like this? Because you can get hit from the very beginning. So how do you sort of instil that idea that you need to keep your chin up in a game like this and not lose and not lose your way in terms of a bowling plan?

[Jonathan Trott:] One thing it's not a case of keeping your chin up. I think it's being case of using the new ball well and being effective and hopefully getting some early wickets will then allow us to put the pressure on to England.

We weren't able to do that against India, so we saw the results of that. If you're not able to do that and not able to be effective with the new ball or accurate enough. So those are the things we want to get right with the new ball. But it's not just that. It's starting with the fielding. Fielding is going to be crucial, because it's such a high scoring game. So, if we can save 10, 15, 20 runs somewhere, we don't have to make that if we're chasing or whether batting first. We have to defend well when we're fielding and bowling. So just more consistency and just a higher level all around really.

[Reporter:] Regards to tomorrow's opposition, you might be knowing many of your opposition players very well. So, what sort of maybe inside information or cutting-edge information that is not readily available to outsiders would you be giving to your players?

[Jonathan Trott:] I am not sure it is cutting edge but yes, there is obviously good knowledge of the players from my side, but I'm not going to be out there playing. It's about how they execute those plans and how they use that knowledge to the best of their ability, whether they can sort of convert that into performance.

I think nowadays also with so much cricket played around the world in franchises, a lot of players would have played with a lot of the English players. So, it's not just me who has a bit of knowledge of the side. So that's not solely reliant on me because of my background, but it's a case of as a team coming together and using whatever information or experience you have of playing with or against England.

So, it makes for an exciting game. I know, I'm certainly looking forward to it. And I know the rest of the players as well.

[Reporter:] You just mentioned consistency a couple of times. And we've talked about that a lot before. Do you feel like you're getting any closer with this side in, I guess, being able to unlock whatever it is that is going to bring that consistency?

[Jonathan Trott:] Well, yeah, I think you see stages of it. We saw it in the India game where we had partnerships, a decent partnership, and then it wasn't just for long enough. So, there are things that we are improving at but we've got to put them together into one game and that's what the good teams do and they do that a lot of the time.

The 50 over format is a long, long time. A lot of ebbs and flows. And it's just about you know controlling the emotions and making sure that we get ourselves back in the game if you know things don't go well at a certain stage to be able to fight back. There's a lot of fight in the dressing room. It's about being able to sort of use the knowledge and not rely solely on the players who are experienced. It's about the younger players stepping up now and also making an impact. So, I'm looking to those guys certainly as well.

[Reporter:] Does this side have the ability to upset England 

[Jonathan Trott:] I think this side's got the ability to upset any side really. We've been so close in previous matches. It's just about getting over the line and making sure that we do. And just when the occasion comes, we'll have an opportunity tomorrow to put pressure on England and we've got to make sure we do that. 

[Reporter:] This is second match in less than a week. I think it will help your side and secondly in last match Azmatullah Omarzai emerged, it is also giving a hope - also captain played well. It is giving some sort of hope to you. It is giving to you some sort of hope that next game will be better than the previous one?

[Jonathan Trott:] Yes.

I think it's one innings from Azmat. Let's make sure that you know obviously backing that up is going to be crucial for him. And obviously looking towards the captain as well to put in another good performance. But it's not just those two, it's everybody's responsibility as well. So, you know, starting with our two openers, and also with the ball, the two opening bowlers as well, have got to start well and set the tone.

So, it sets a platform for the likes of us, Azmat and for the captain to come in and express themselves and play. That's basically the way that they play.

Last game, there is still work, there's still sort of things to improve on in that performance as well. So, all the guys know. So hopefully tomorrow is the day we get it right.

[Reporter:] Can we expect any change in the side?

[Jonathan Trott:] I'm not at the liberty to say that at the moment, thanks.

[Reporter:] Do you think Rashid Khan can cause a bit of mayhem tomorrow and conditions that should probably suit him?

[Jonathan Trott:] I don't think Rashid needs the conditions to suit him to cause mayhem, does he? So, Yeah, for sure. I know Rashid can't speak highly enough about the guy, the way that he performs and his passion for playing for this side.

I know that he puts a lot of pressure on himself as well to perform and lead the attack, if you like. But it's the job of all the other guys who have the ball in their hand to cause mayhem and put a bit of pressure on England and make sure that they are hitting their straps and being really sort of calm because it is going to be sort of a high-scoring game you would say looking at the pitch of the previous two games, so it's a case of the other bowlers making sure that they just as high level and sort of switched on as Rashid normally is.

[Reporter:] What would count as a successful tournament for Afghanistan in your view?

 [Jonathan Trott:] I think if you look at a win column, I think that would be looking at the previous two. I don't think you can judge it on that. I think for me, what I judge is our preparation. We've got to make sure that each game we're going into, we believe that we can win. And I certainly believe that every game we go into from here on, we can we can win that's probably not -  we're not going to win all those games probably as history would suggest but that mentality, I think will have a good knock-on effect for competitions going forward in the future of the side and just the sort of mindset of Afghanistan cricket and the way that they want to play their games.

So, I think that's how I would gauge that and I'd obviously be disappointed with the Bangladesh game. But there was a lot of improvement in the India game. So, each game I want to see us improving and being better in all facets of the game, not just batting, where we probably should have got a few more runs the other night.

The bowlers have to step up as well in difficult conditions but they also got to use the experience because all of them are very, very good bowlers.

[Reporter:] Four years ago, was a bit of a painful one when England beat Afghanistan in Old Trafford. Do you sense that England are as strong a side as they were then, or do you think the gap maybe has tightened a little bit between the two sides coming into this one?

[Jonathan Trott:]

I'd like to think it's tightened. I'd say that England are probably in a very similar place to where they were then. And I'd say that we've got a bit better as well. I think I'd like to think so. I hope so.

And so that's why I'm very optimistic with tomorrow's game. You know, I'd like to see a good competitive match. I know certainly the England side respects the players we have in our dressing room, or the side, and we respect them as well. But there's no room for us thinking too far ahead and what's happened in the past maybe. It's all about tomorrow and making sure that we switch on when the game starts.

[Reporter:] And it's been a year since the last game, the T20 match in Perth. Yeah. You were fresh into the job then. How are you, kind of, a year on and what have you learned and developed yourself as a coach over that period in charge of Afghanistan? 

[Jonathan Trott:] I don't think we've had enough time for that today, but I'll have to sum it up. It's been brilliant. I think the experience and working in a completely different culture and getting, rolling my sleeves up and getting involved. There's so many things to learn and different, I think it's great for a coach. I've really enjoyed learning cricket from another point of view, from in England or growing up in South Africa, it's quite similar. Coming to the subcontinent and getting involved in cricket, it's another complete sort of thing. It's brilliant and I enjoy coaching in that changing room so much. I'm just so desperate for the guys to do well and see the joy it brings to them.

Throughout the time that I've been coaching, we've achieved some things that hadn't been achieved in the past. We've beaten Pakistan in the T20 series, we've beat Bangladesh in an ODI series. The satisfaction you get from that, seeing the happiness on the players' faces, achieving things that hopefully inspire players and boys and girls to take up the game and represent their countries is something as a coach that's very rewarding.

So, there's other things obviously as well but I would say that's the main thing so far.

[Reporter:] Question from the audience. [inaudible]

[Jonathan Trott:] I always have that in the back of my mind. I think it's with regards to Rashid, it's about getting the right timing for him to go out and bat with that license and again that comes with us having a good solid foundation and not going in and being able to push him up is great not waiting for the wickets to go before him and having him to sort of control the innings like he did pretty well last game. So, by being able to have a good platform for players like Rashid or Nabi to go in and go from ball one or have a look for a little bit and then go. So that's the plan. The plan doesn't always work, but I'll keep it in the back of my mind thanks, thank you

[Reporter:] With all the with all the blood sweat and tears and hard yards you put in an England shirt over the years can you take this is you know just another game and just another opponent to try and beat? Or is there a bit more to it than that when you were lining up against England?

[Jonathan Trott:] No, there's no extra motivation. It's just another team that hopefully we can beat. There is some sort of familiarity, I should say. And I find it a pleasure to play against England. Just like when I played for England against South Africa, I really enjoyed the challenge.

So, tomorrow is going to be a challenge, for sure. But nothing personal, there's no sort of agendas or anything like that it's just another cricket match and that's what I try and express to the guys we obviously at a World Cup you know there's you know there's lots of sort of distractions around and emotions that could you know come into play but tomorrow is going to be exciting. I'm really looking forward to it.

[Reporter:] We saw the players wearing black armbands in the last game for the victims of the earthquake in Afghanistan. Can I just ask whether they're sort of all doing OK and what their frame of mind is around playing in a World Cup - what's obviously a challenging time for the country?

[Jonathan Trott:] Yeah, for sure. I think the players have been brilliant. Straight away when the news broke of the disaster, straight away the players wanted to know what they could do. We had a team meeting and a lot of players have donated from their match fees a lot of players I think Rashid has donated all of his match fees from the World Cup which is amazing I know some of the senior players have a sort of foundation or a charity themselves that's raising money so you know hopefully all that money gets to places that can help and make a difference, you know, rescuing people or making a difference with their recovery. But as far as the players, they've been really good and no one as such has been affected family-wise, but I'm sure their thoughts go out to their countrymen and women.

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