Joe Root had to contemplate his execution after the much-criticized reverse wicket in Rajkot. What should be emphasized was the execution of the batting, with England’s chief batsman defending their attack with gusto after returning to the running stumps.
England took the lead on day two of the fourth Test, which was built on Root’s masterful self-restraint, chiefly the unbeaten 122 he compiled on day one. That was the bulk of his side’s 353-run total but said after the match that India were seven runs behind and still trailing by 134 runs, insisting it was not a response to last week.
Asked about the moment seen by many as the catalyst for England’s 434-run defeat in the third Test, Root replied: “Of course the execution of the shot put pressure on me. “Not necessarily. Choice, but execution – I’m better than this.
“It’s not out of arrogance. ‘Bazball’ is not the word we use, you [the media] It did so and sparked a frenzy. This could be misinterpreted and seen as an arrogant way of looking at the game, but that’s not what we want to do.
“We want to be smart and keep looking at how good we can be in the locker room. The reason I’ve played so many games is I don’t want to stagnate as a player, I have to work hard to keep improving.”
While Root admitted that the devil on his shoulder told him to take the reverse ramp to start his 31st Test century, he felt it was better to risk “disrupting the game” on the tricky surface. “I have a rough idea of how I want to run on this surface,” he added.
“It’s nice to finally be able to contribute. It’s been a couple of games down for me and very frustrating. I do enjoy coming to this part of the world and I feel like my game is set up well to be able to be here Well played.”
The former captain usually credits others for England’s place in the squad, praising Ben Foakes (47) and Ollie Robinson (58) for their scores of 113 and 102 respectively win. However, it was undoubtedly the man of the match on day two, 20-year-old Shoaib Bashir’s marathon, 31-over, four-wicket performance that derailed India in the afternoon.
Playing only his eighth first-class match and showing remarkable composure as a result, these figures were already a career-best for the off-spinner.
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Root said: “It’s great control and skill and it’s posing very difficult questions over long periods of time. Obviously it’s going to take wickets on surfaces that have up and down bounce. The way he’s bowling is good It really reflects his character and personality: he’s cheeky, funny and a good lad in the dressing room.
“Imagine you are a young spinner, 15 or 16 years old, hearing Bashir’s story. It just goes to show how close you can actually be and how you should keep dreaming and keep giving yourself the best chance Come work on your game. You never know where you’re going to end up.”
