NEW England Test captain Joe Root says he will be an "instinctive" captain – and has vowed to put his own "stamp" on the role.

Root outlined his blueprint for England's future at Headingley yesterday, two days after he inherited the role from Alastair Cook.

The 26-year-old Yorkshire batsman said: "I think it would be silly to not take any advice from him.

"I'm sure there are a number of players within the dressing room that I will call upon to help me on occasions but of course I'll probably want to do things my way as well.

"I don't think you should be scared of asking for help on occasions but for the most part I like to think I'll be able to put my stamp on things."

England do not play a Test match until July, with the focus on limited-overs cricket and the ultimate goal of the Champions Trophy for the next few months.

Asked what he would do differently, Root said: "I think the beauty of the position right now is I have plenty of time to think about that.

"I'd like to think I'd be quite instinctive. I want us to always look to win and I want us to be a tough side to play against.

"Talking too much about it now would be wrong, I think we should get to the start of the summer and start showing people how we're going to go about it."

Root added: " I think it would be silly of me not to speak to people who have been in the position before – like Cooky, Straussy (England director of cricket Andrew Strauss).

"I've obviously known Michael Vaughan for a long time and maybe a few people away from cricket to get a different perspective on things."

Root is relaxed about a perceived lack of experience, saying: "I didn't have much county experience before I got onto the Test team and I managed to find a way to be successful in that environment.

"I've got a lot of experience now with 50-odd games under my belt and I'd like to think for the past few years I have started to think as a captain in my own mind.

"So if Cooky ever needed help or advice or the bowlers came up to me and asked what I thought, then I was switched on enough to think 'this is what I'd do'.

"Of course there will be times when I need a bit of help here and there but I'm really excited to get hold of the role and try to make it my own."

Stuart Broad and James Anderson are senior members of the team and Root added: "I'm sure they'll be very helpful in that respect. I'm quite looking forward to that dynamic."

The Ashes start in November and Root is looking forward to the series – and hopes his players can respond too.

He explained: "I can't wait for that. As a side, that's something we should all be very excited about.

"We've got a team with a great blend of experience and raw talent coming into the squad and there's a core group of players that have played 20-30 games.

"I think's it's the right time for them to take a bit more responsibility and become slightly more consistent and really make this side a tough team to beat."

Root, who said he will "give a bit of thought" to who will fill the troublesome number four role in the England batting order, revealed he was offered the captaincy job while looking after his five-week-old son.

He said: "On Sunday afternoon I had just taken Alfie for nappy changing and I got a nice call from Andrew saying 'this is the one call you get in your life...we'd like you to take the role'.

"I immediately accepted it. It was dad's birthday weekend and I went down for Sunday dinner with the family. It was a special time in our family life."