London: Joe Root He underscored the talent that had long been evident from the start of his career when he became the second England batsman to score 10,000 Test runs during his match-winning century against New Zealand at Lord’s on Sunday.
The 31-year-old Yorkshireman’s 115 not out took England to a target of 277 runs and a five-wicket victory over the world Test champions with more than a day to spare.
Root remained calm at the crease, keeping the scoreboard ticking against a quality attack without resorting to exceptional strokes during a 170-ball innings that lasted nearly five-and-a-half hours.
no wonder Ben StokesIn his first match as England captain, Root later said of his close friend: “‘Mr Dependable’, Joe Root, stood up. One hundred and 10,000 runs scored – what a player and what a man.”
Root, a conservative ‘touch’ batsman rather than a power hitter, made his mark while playing for the same Sheffield Collegiate club as Michael Vaughan, another former England captain.
By the time Root turned 23, he was already touted as the future captain of England, making his Test debut in 2012 with a patient 73 off 229 balls against India at Nagpur was.
Root’s rise continued the following year with the first Test century against New Zealand at Headingley’s home ground, before his first Ashes century at Lord’s.
However, there was a dip in Australia – where Root is yet to score a Test century – as he lost form along with several teammates as England were eliminated during the 2013/14 Ashes.
Rooted out for the fifth Test in Sydney, Root returned in style at home with a double century against Sri Lanka and two centuries against India at Lord’s.
Given that England play a lot more Test cricket than most of their rivals, a slowdown was, perhaps, inevitable and it was not long before concerns were expressed about Root’s ‘conversion rate’.
Between his century at Johannesburg and a century in Rajkot in early 2016 on a victorious tour that England suffered in a 4–0 loss to India, he crossed 50 six times, but only in one of those innings. Converted though career best innings of 254 against Pakistan at Old Trafford.
Root, however, was among the “Big Four” batsmen of the modern game along with Australia’s Steve Smith, India’s Virat Kohli and current New Zealand captain Kane Williamson.
he succeeded alastair cook – The only other England batsman to have scored 10,000 Test runs – as captain in 2017.
He led England in more Tests (64) and more wins (27) than any previous captain, but never looked comfortable as a tactician on the field.
It was also Root’s misfortune that he found himself in charge of an increasingly vulnerable side, his tenure as captain ending with just one win in 17 matches, before returning to the series in the Caribbean in April. Lost by 4 after losing. 0 Ashes hammer in Australia.
Still, his own standards haven’t slipped, with a remarkable 2021 in which he scored 1,708 runs at an average of 61, taking Root from seventh to second on England’s list of all-time Test run-scorers.
Root’s current Test batting average is just under 50, the mark of an all-time great, his 26 centuries at this level exceeding only the retired Cook’s 33 for England.
And with Sunday’s innings showing that there are still many more runs to come, Root is now free of what he later said had become a “very unhealthy relationship” with the England captaincy.
“It got to the point where it was time for someone else to lead, but I can try to influence it (England’s results) in a different role, in a different way,” he said.
The 31-year-old Yorkshireman’s 115 not out took England to a target of 277 runs and a five-wicket victory over the world Test champions with more than a day to spare.
Root remained calm at the crease, keeping the scoreboard ticking against a quality attack without resorting to exceptional strokes during a 170-ball innings that lasted nearly five-and-a-half hours.
no wonder Ben StokesIn his first match as England captain, Root later said of his close friend: “‘Mr Dependable’, Joe Root, stood up. One hundred and 10,000 runs scored – what a player and what a man.”
Root, a conservative ‘touch’ batsman rather than a power hitter, made his mark while playing for the same Sheffield Collegiate club as Michael Vaughan, another former England captain.
By the time Root turned 23, he was already touted as the future captain of England, making his Test debut in 2012 with a patient 73 off 229 balls against India at Nagpur was.
Root’s rise continued the following year with the first Test century against New Zealand at Headingley’s home ground, before his first Ashes century at Lord’s.
However, there was a dip in Australia – where Root is yet to score a Test century – as he lost form along with several teammates as England were eliminated during the 2013/14 Ashes.
Rooted out for the fifth Test in Sydney, Root returned in style at home with a double century against Sri Lanka and two centuries against India at Lord’s.
Given that England play a lot more Test cricket than most of their rivals, a slowdown was, perhaps, inevitable and it was not long before concerns were expressed about Root’s ‘conversion rate’.
Between his century at Johannesburg and a century in Rajkot in early 2016 on a victorious tour that England suffered in a 4–0 loss to India, he crossed 50 six times, but only in one of those innings. Converted though career best innings of 254 against Pakistan at Old Trafford.
Root, however, was among the “Big Four” batsmen of the modern game along with Australia’s Steve Smith, India’s Virat Kohli and current New Zealand captain Kane Williamson.
he succeeded alastair cook – The only other England batsman to have scored 10,000 Test runs – as captain in 2017.
He led England in more Tests (64) and more wins (27) than any previous captain, but never looked comfortable as a tactician on the field.
It was also Root’s misfortune that he found himself in charge of an increasingly vulnerable side, his tenure as captain ending with just one win in 17 matches, before returning to the series in the Caribbean in April. Lost by 4 after losing. 0 Ashes hammer in Australia.
Still, his own standards haven’t slipped, with a remarkable 2021 in which he scored 1,708 runs at an average of 61, taking Root from seventh to second on England’s list of all-time Test run-scorers.
Root’s current Test batting average is just under 50, the mark of an all-time great, his 26 centuries at this level exceeding only the retired Cook’s 33 for England.
And with Sunday’s innings showing that there are still many more runs to come, Root is now free of what he later said had become a “very unhealthy relationship” with the England captaincy.
“It got to the point where it was time for someone else to lead, but I can try to influence it (England’s results) in a different role, in a different way,” he said.