Joe Root to bat at No 4 for England

Joe Root, the England Test captain, is set to move back tothe number four slot in the batting order for the upcoming two-match Testseries versus New Zealand, starting with the first Test in Bay Oval on November21.

Root also indicated that he would continue to bat at thenumber four position in the near future. He took up the number three slot inthe order for the Ashes, but struggled to put up consistent performances,averaging a modest 32.5.

Root's overall Test average at that position also stands at aless than impressive 38.12. The England mainstay has found more success atnumber four, having scored 2807 runs at an average of 48.39. Incidentally, Rootbatted at the number five position in the warm-up game against New Zealand XIin Whangarei.

"I'd like to be consistent with it now, movingforward," he told BBC's Test Match Special. "It doesn't always workexactly how you want it to but it would be nice for that to be the case. I justthink it suits my game a little bit more. It definitely fits in with captaincya little bit better for me.

"I know previous captains have preferred to get outthere early and just get amongst it but I quite like to split the two and toreally focus on my batting. I've found over time that, generally, I'veconsistently played better in that position."

Joe Denly, who has recovered from an ankle injury, isexpected to bat at number three with Dom Sibley and Rory Burns opening thebatting. "We haven't officially picked a team yet. As you'd expect, themajority of that will go and play the first Test match."