Promoted Root embodies what England must be

It was probably fitting that, as Alastair Cook walked off the Lord's pitch, Joe Root should walk on. Root replaced him at the crease and surely, before long, will replace him as captain.

Of all the decisions made by Andrew Strauss in recent days - the choice of captain, the sacking of a coach and the continued banishment of a player - it was perhaps the decision to appoint Root as vice-captain that had the greatest ramifications in the long-term.

Strauss wants to build a new England. An England that not only wins games, but wins over the hearts and minds of a public that has, to some extent, become disenchanted with a national side that has been steeped in controversy and cynicism. It is no coincidence that a recently leaked ECB discussion document detailed plans to change the name of the board to England Cricket in recognition that the brand was tainted beyond redemption in the eyes of many cricket supporters.

That is part of the reason Peter Moores was sacked. It was, as much to do with any perceived tactical shortcomings, simply the fact that he was tainted by the past. Some judges seemed to have made their mind up about him before he started his second reign as coach and, eventually, Strauss decided the public could not be won over with what might be uncharitably described as a toxic brand.

Leading the revival is Root. It is not just the runs he is scoring - 1,233 at an average of 94.84 in 11 Tests since June last year - but the situation in which he makes them and the style in which they are scored. He is not just fresh faced, he is a fresh canvas. He gives England Cricket a chance to start again.

Not so long ago, an England team finding themselves at 30 for 4 might have battened down the hatches and clawed themselves through the remainder of the day. Think Trevor Bailey or even Paul Collingwood.

Not any more. Despite the loss of early wickets and New Zealand's impressive trio of seamers nipping the ball around, England scored at the best part of four an over from that point on. Encouraged to play their natural, positive games - and it should be emphasised that Moores was the instigator of such a policy - Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali all scored freely in not only fighting back but providing an entertaining day's cricket. It might not be typically English, but it sure is enjoyable.

Root is the natural leader of the new-look side. He is untainted by the past, untainted by the Kevin Pietersen affair, untainted by the elitism that poured from the ECB when they spoke of those "outside cricket" and the "sort of people" who should be captain of England. He gives England a fresh chance to engage with a public who may well have made up their minds about more familiar faces.

That does not mean Cook's days are over just yet. As an opening batsman, he has enjoyed a return to form over the last few months - despite his failure here, he has still passed 50 six times in his last 11 innings - and, under him, Root will have the chance to grow into the leadership role. But it would be no surprise if Root was captain of a side containing Cook by the time England play Pakistan in the UAE this autumn.

That sounds harsh on Cook but he may lack the weapons to win over a jaded public. He will never be a great orator and, though he may yet be remembered as a great batsman, the clip off the hips and the squirt to third man are not shots to win hearts. You can, at his best, rely on Cook's batting. It's hard to fall in love with it.

It is not a perfect time to promote Root. He has captained in only a handful of matches, he is only 24 and there is a danger that the captaincy will create a burden that compromises his effectiveness as a batsman.

But he is batting like a leader. He is, in Pallekele, Grenada or at Lord's, taking responsibility for the team in a manner that suggests he welcomes the responsibility. Over the last 12 months he has been deeply impressive and, the manner in which he expressed unstinting support for Moores when he was presented with England's player of the year award on Monday, also demonstrated a certain moral courage that will not have gone unappreciated. Even by those who sacked Moores.

Besides, these are decisions that are no longer made entirely on a cricketing basis. They are made, in part, with a view towards regaining the faith of sponsors and spectators. And if that sounds cynical, it is worth recording that, after news of Moores' sacking and Strauss' appointment broke, Strauss and Tom Harrison, the new ECB chief executive, spent the evening phoning sponsors and inviting them to ask any question they liked. That has not happened before.

There is something pleasing and exciting developing within the England middle-order at present. But just as products sometimes require rebranding, so might this team. Root is walking in; Cook is walking off.