New Delhi: Joe Root remained unbeaten in the ODI series against India, scoring 249 runs in three innings to lead England to a 2-1 series victory. Root, 36, continues to redefine consistency across formats even as many of his contemporaries have retired. All of Root’s scores of 76, 99 and 74 in this series came when the team needed him the most and he was deservedly named Player of the Series.Root was England’s batting mainstay in the three-match ODI series against India. He hit 76 in the first ODI to help England chase 258 from 107/6, followed that up with a match-winning 99 in the second ODI to chase 234, and an unbeaten 74 in the third ODI to cement England’s record total of 387, backing up Ben Duckett’s 141 and accelerating in the death overs.
India has no answer for Joe Root
Joe Root launched a savage attack on India on his home soil and denied the team a fairytale comeback after losing 0-4 in the T20I series. In Virat Kohli and Rohit SharmaIndia played well but they could not stop home hero Root and he continued to cause headaches for the visiting team.Remember Root’s batting celebration against India in 2018? That was the last time England won an ODI series against India and the hero of the day was none other than Root. He scored 113* and 100 runs in the series and was named the best player of the series.
Joe Root’s batting celebration
Root has been England’s most reliable batsman in Tests and ODIs for over a decade, consistently delivering when the team needs him most. Now 36, he continues to flourish despite the likes of many of his contemporaries such as Alastair Cook, Eoin Morgan, Andrew Flintoff, Kevin Petersonand Ben Stokes, who has recently retired from international cricket.The bone of contention is how Root continues to compete with youngsters as he did a decade ago. What’s his secret to longevity? Former England spinner Monty Panesar, who once shared the dressing room with Root, revealed the secret.Monty Panesar in an interview with TimesofIndia.com noted that Root’s hunger for runs and how he keeps improving in every game makes every venue feel like his own lair.
“England’s greatest ever game”
“I think he’s just hungry. He loves playing cricket and is still hungry to score runs. He still has that passion and he may want to cement his status as one of England’s greatest cricketers. With an ODI average above 50 and a Test average above 50, he might feel he still has a few years left. When he retires, he wants to be remembered as England’s greatest batsman,” Monty Panesar told TimesofIndia.com.In the modern T20 era, where batsmen want to come up and bat and then walk away, Root prefers to stay at the crease and bowl like an old-school batsman who believes in building innings rather than throwing wickets into reckless shots.“When I played with him, he was very solid defensively. He always had reverse sweeps, paddle sweeps and those little shots with ease. He made them look easy. You can see how his game has evolved, even in Test cricket, he’s now doing six-over sweeps at slip. But on a pitch like Cardiff, where there’s extra bounce, you have to play a more traditional style of cricket. That’s why his game is so effective. That’s the difference between Joe Root and a lot of young players today,” added Monty Panesar.
Joe Root’s many careers
There is another story that defines Joe Root’s career – his journey before, during and after his captaincy.Before becoming captain (2012 to January 2017), he scored 8,211 runs in 152 games at an average of 48.58.During his Test captaincy (2017 to April 2022), Root amassed 8,680 runs in 149 games at an average of 49.31. Since resigning as captain in 2022, Root has undergone a remarkable renaissance. He scored 5,942 runs in 89 games at an average of 53.05 and scored 20 centuries while rediscovering his best form in Tests and ODIs.
Joe Root
“The captain changed his roots, but it didn’t destroy him”
“I think it was a very difficult period for him as captain. England went through a difficult phase where they won just one Test match in 17 and he had to step down. Those difficult moments probably made him stronger.” Now he enjoys the freedom of not having the burden of captaincy and he is making the most of it because he knows how difficult things were during that period. I think these experiences further increased his hunger. He hopes to continue playing football for as long as possible because he is really enjoying scoring another goal for England. ” said Monty Panisa.
Why didn’t Root conquer T20 cricket?
Whenever Joe Root is compared to the Beatles, one question is always asked: why has he failed to dominate T20Is?Virat Kohli has performed well in every competition he has played. Kane Williamson His class is showcased across formats. Steve Smith Did the same thing. But Root always believed in a graceful shot over a powerful one.“I think his game is naturally better suited to the longer format than T20 cricket and that’s probably why he hasn’t been as successful in the shorter format. If you compare him with today’s young batsmen, their game is built around T20 cricket. Joe Root’s strengths are better suited to Test cricket and ODIs. T20 is probably the toughest format for him as it requires explosive scoring and high-risk batting. On the other hand, his skills and temperament are perfect for Test cricket and ODIs,” Panesar explained.
‘Roots are to England what Virat Rohit is to India’: Kumble
England’s response to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma
India have relied heavily on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma over the years. Meanwhile, whenever the batting came under pressure, England relied on just one man: Joseph Edward Root. After Root’s unbeaten 99 against India in the second ODI, former India captain Anil Kumble said: “Root is to England what Virat and Rohit are to India.”This quote is a perfect testament to what Root has achieved in his career.“Joe Root gives a lot of comfort to guys like Harry Brooke. Harry Brooke can go out and play attacking ball because he knows Joe Root is at the other end. Brook may have to become more responsible when Root eventually retires, but now Root is allowing younger players to express themselves. The players know that if things get tough, Joe Root is still there. This is similar to what Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma mean to India,” Monty Panesar said.That’s probably the biggest compliment any batsman can receive. You know you’ve earned respect when the other 10 players and the coaching staff believe that as long as you’re at the crease, anything is possible. This is exactly what Root has built up towards throughout his career.If Root continues to be damaged Sachin TendulkarIf he breaks the all-time Test run record and needs just 1,807 more runs to win the ICC title again and help England regain the Ashes at home, there’s not much he can achieve in international cricket.As Panesa rightly pointed out: “If he does that, it will be the icing on the cake for Joe Root. Winning the World Cup in South Africa would be absolutely huge for him.”Now, Root continues to do what he has done for over a decade: score runs, frustrate bowlers and prove that classical batting still has a place in the modern game.
