Joe Root believes England are making giant strides under his stewardship but admits a change in approach may be necessary if they are to combat their wretched overseas form.

England overcame world number one ranked Test side India 4-1 in the recently-concluded Specsavers series but face tricky winter tours to Sri Lanka and the West Indies over the next few months.

Sri Lanka, in particular, is likely to prove a stern challenge as hot and humid conditions will be compounded by unfamiliar turning tracks in three November Tests.

They will head to the subcontinent with an away record that is something of a cause for concern, with no wins in their last 13 Tests and 10 defeats.

But Root, while admitting his side are far from the finished article, has taken encouragement from this summer’s exploits on home soil and thinks his troops are capable of springing an upset if they box clever in Sri Lanka.

England’s Test captain told Press Association Sport: “We have got a difficult winter and we’re not the perfect side, but we’ve made significant improvements.

“If we continue to do that and continue to harness the attitude that we’ve had throughout the summer then we will keep seeing an improvement.

Joe Root captained England to a 4-1 Test series win over India (Adam Davy/PA)
Joe Root captained England to a 4-1 Test series win over India (Adam Davy/PA)

“It is going to be very different to the cricket that’s been played this summer, very different to the cricket that was played last winter (in Australia and New Zealand).

“We’re going to have to be smart with how we go about things, we’re going to have to do things slightly differently to how we have on previous tours but I think that’s an exciting challenge for the group.

“Hopefully guys can step up and take that added responsibility and we can do something special this winter.”

Root was part of the England sides that suffered a first-ever Test defeat in Bangladesh before being humbled in India two years ago in conditions that are expected to be similar to Sri Lanka.

Speaking to promote a nationwide community project called The Village Green at the Village Hotel Club in Leeds South, Root added: “With the bat, on a number of occasions against India we made big scores in the first innings.

“A number of times we got over 400 and set the game up and India were just better, they got 600.

“Batting last and late on in a Test match there, it’s very difficult so we know how vital first-innings’ runs will be in Sri Lanka and we know what we need to do to take 20 wickets.”

– Joe Root met school children at the Village Hotel Club in Leeds South to launch their nationwide community project called The Village Green. The initiative will see the hotel chain commit more than 30,000 hours per year across its 30 hotels to volunteering in the community.