Ashes: Important we don't feel sorry for ourselves after 1st Test loss, says Root

"Frustration I think, we worked really hard to get back in the game last night and we knew that if we got through the new ball unscathed and carried that partnership forward, we would really give ourselves a good opportunity to go on and post some sort of total which would've kept us in the game. We saw how the pitch develops throughout the day, it's a bit more uneven, still has sideways movement, the cracks are appearing," Root said after the game at the post-match presentation. 

"It's a shame we couldn't get through that initial phase because it could've been very different. It is easy to look back in hindsight - one thing I will say is we wanted variation in our attack, we wanted to change the pace of the game and move through different gears throughout the innings. If we are being honest, we can't create as many chances as we did and put them down. Our bowlers were excellent. We have got to be better in the field and with the bat," he added.

Chasing 20, Alex Carey (9) and Marcus Harris (9*) made light work of the chase and the hosts registered victory in just 5.1 overs. Talking about dismal performance with the bat in the first innings, Root said: "40/4 is not a position to start a Test series, we know where we need to get better but I do think the way we responded in the second innings showed a great amount of character and fight."

"If anything it falls on me for giving him (Jack Leach) too aggressive fields too early, not allowing him to settle and give him a bit more of a chance early on. Jack is a fine spinner, in the 20-odd Tests he has played, he has shown what an instrumental part he can play within this team and I'm sure he will play a big part in the series moving forward," he added. Root also said that his side does not get bogged down with a nine-wicket loss in the first Test Ashes. "It's really important in a five-match Test series, we don't feel too sorry for ourselves on the back of this. We have got to remember there is a huge amount of cricket to play. There are a lot of good things to take from this game, we felt we were very much in the game for long periods of time," said Root.

"We were on the wrong side of the weather breaks and with the two-and-a-half-hour sessions on the second morning made it quite difficult to keep the bowlers fresh but these things happen, you got to learn and become stronger for it and that's exactly what we will do for the rest of the series," he added.