As Steve Smith returned to the crease after being reprieved by video footage of Jack Leach’s right boot, Joe Root called a huddle.
Presumably, he told a few home truths.
A few home truths, a few hours too late.
Australia were already on their way to a score that would make an English victory unlikely - Smith’s freakish reprieve and subsequent cashing-in merely confirmed it.
Headingley miracles can happen anywhere but there will have to be an absolute blinder for Root to add to his solitary win as an Ashes skipper.
Captaining England against the Australians, this is Root’s ninth Test.
Almost certainly, after the weekend, he will only have the Ben Stokes Show to boast as his only victory.
And as he stood, hands on hips while Mitchell Starc repeatedly flayed Stuart Broad to the ropes with Smith luxuriating in his double ton at the other end, Root knew it.
No wonder there was not a hint of celebration when his part-time off-spin finally accounted for Smith.
For the best part of two days, England have been flat, listless, sloppy, casual, call it what you want.
And while the litany of individual errors cannot be dumped at Root’s door, some sort of buck has to finally stop with the leader.
For example, Root was not directly responsible for Jofra Archer’s thoroughly indifferent contribution over these past couple of days.
But it probably did not help the bowler’s mindset when Root hooked him after just seven balls to Smith on the first morning’s play.
On a thoroughly chastening Thursday, the dynamic between captain and Archer - who seemed unimpressed when asked to go around the wicket to Tim Paine - looked anything but positive.
After his own second innings effort with the bat on that third afternoon played a small but crucial part in that remarkable third Test win, Root was understandably prickly with his critics.
But the bald truth is that, in his 33rd Test as captain, the jury is still out on Root’s leadership.
Of course, one of the best ways he can show it is to defy Australia at the crease over the next couple of days.
England can still go to the Oval next Thursday and regain the Ashes if the likes of Root can produce an epic stint or two against cricket’s finest attack in Manchester.
Because that remains Root’s greatest strength as captain, his batting.
With a top Test score of 254 coming here and an average of over 100 on the ground, Old Trafford is a happy hunting place for Root the batsman.
If it that does not continue, the type of home truths he told his players as Smith returned to slaughter will be heard by Root himself.
