In his bid to revive the fortunes of England’s Test team, Joe Root has sacrificed the opportunity of entering the IPL mega auction.

Considered one of England’s modern greats, Root is yet to play in the IPL after going unsold in the 2018 auction. Last week, Root said he was considering entering the mega auction but added he would play in the tournament only if it does not distract him from his Test career.

However, the wait to enter the IPL increased further as he has decided to prioritise England’s Test team.

“There’s a lot that we need to do for this team, which deserves all of my energy,” Root said at the post-match conference after his side’s 146-run loss to Australia in the fifth Test on Sunday.

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“I’ll keep sacrificing as much as I can because I care so much about Test cricket in our country and trying to get us to where we want to be,” Root added, confirming he has turned down the chance to enter the auction.

England’s below-par performance in Test cricket this past year has led to questions on his leadership but Root expressed his desire to continue as the English red-ball captain. “It’s very difficult when you get beaten as heavily as we have done on this tour to convince people I’m the right man. But I can tell you one thing for sure – as long as I have the opportunity to captain this team, I will throw everything into it and give everything – for everyone supporting us, for the guys around me, for the players – to try and provide an environment that allows us to be successful,” Root said.

The IPL has expanded to 10 teams starting this year and the mega-auction ahead of the upcoming season is scheduled to be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru.