New Delhi: Joe Root finished the ODI series against India unbeaten, hitting 249 runs in three innings to lead England to a 2-1 victory. At 36, when most of his contemporaries have retired, Root continues to define consistency across all formats. All of Root’s scores in this series of 76, 99, and 74 came when the team needed him the most, and they named him Player of the Series.In the three ODIs against India, Root was England’s backbone. He scored 76 in the first ODI to help England recover to 258 from 107/6, followed it up with a match-winning 99 in the second ODI while chasing 234, and finished with an unbeaten 74 in the third ODI, setting England’s record of 387-runs, supporting Ben Duckett on 141 in 141 overs.
India had no answer for Joe Root
Joe Root breathed fire against India at home and denied India a comeback after their 0-4 T20I loss. In front of Virat Kohli and Rohit SharmaIndia fought well, but could not stop the home hero, Root, who remained the leader of the visitors.Remember Root’s bat-drop celebration against India in 2018? It was the last time England won an ODI series against India, and the hero was none other than Root. He had scored 113* and 100 in that series and was named Player of the Series.
Joe Root’s bat drop celebration
For more than a decade, Root has been England’s most reliable batsman in Tests and ODIs, always delivering when the team needed him the most. Now 36, he continues to excel despite the fact that many of his contemporaries, such as Alastair Cook, Eoin Morgan, Andrew Flintoff, Kevin Pietersenand most recently Ben Stokes, having already retired from international cricket.Which is why Root will continue to compete with the youth like he did a decade ago. What is the secret of his longevity? Former England captain Monty Panesar, who once shared a dressing room with Root, revealed the secret.Speaking to TimesofIndia.com, Monty Panesar highlighted Root’s hunger for runs and the way he keeps evolving with every game, making every pitch his home turf.
‘The Greatest England Ever Played’
“I think he is just hungry. He loves playing cricket and he is hungry to score runs. He still has that passion, and may be looking to cement his position as one of England’s greatest players. With an average of over 50 ODIs and over 50 Tests, he probably feels he is still in his prime. When he retires, he wants to be remembered as England’s greatest batsman,” Monty Panesar told TimesofIndia.com.In the current T20 era, where batsmen seem to come, smash the ball, and leave, Root prefers to stay on the field and plays like an old-school batsman who believes in building an innings rather than losing his wicket to a careless toss.“When I played with him, he had a very strong defence. He was always comfortable playing reverse sweeps, paddle sweeps, and small bowlers who shoot. He made them look very easy. You can see how his game has changed, even in Test cricket, where he now plays on the nose for six. But on grounds like Cardiff it’s an extra game with an extra game that Cardiff has. That’s why his game is so effective. That’s the difference between Joe Root and most young players today,” added Monty Panesar.
Many works of Joe Root
There is another story that describes the career of Joe Root – his journey before, during, and after the captaincy.Before becoming captain (2012-January 2017), he scored 8,211 runs in 152 matches at an average of 48.58.During his Test captaincy (2017–April 2022), Root scored 8,680 runs in 149 matches at an average of 49.31. And since stepping down as captain in 2022, Root has been making a remarkable comeback. He has scored 5,942 runs in 89 matches at an average of 53.05, scoring 20 years while regaining his best form in both Tests and ODIs.
JOE ROOT
‘Captaincy Changed His Root, But It Didn’t Break Him’
“I think his time as captain was very difficult. England went through a very difficult period when they won 17 Test matches, and in the end he had to retire. Those difficult times probably made him stronger. Now he is enjoying the freedom that comes without the responsibility of captaincy, and he is using it well because he knows how difficult things were at that time. I think that experience has increased his hunger. He wants to continue playing for a long time because he is also enjoying scoring in England,” said Monty Panesar.
Why Root Hasn’t Conquered T20 Cricket?
Whenever Joe Root is compared to the Fab Four, one question is always asked: Why did he fail to dominate the T20Is?There is Virat Kohli, who excelled in every format he played. Kane Williamson he showed his class in all forms. Steve Smith he did the same. But Root has always believed in beautiful batting in power hitting.“I think his game naturally suits the longer format more than T20 cricket, and maybe that is the reason why he has never been good in the shorter format. If you compare him to today’s young batsmen, their game is built around T20 cricket. Joe Root’s strengths are more suited to Test cricket and ODIs. On the other hand, his skill and temper are suited to Test cricket and ODIs,” said Panesar.
‘Root is to England what Virat-Rohit is to India’: Kumble
England’s answer to Virat Kohli is Rohit Sharma
India have relied heavily on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for years. England, meanwhile, relied on one man at all times when the batting was tough: Joseph Edward Root. After Root scored 99 against India in the second ODI, former Indian captain Anil Kumble said: “What Virat and Rohit are to India, Root is to England.”Those words clearly prove that Root has come a long way in his career.“Joe Root gives someone like Harry Brook a lot of comfort. Harry Brook can go out and play his shots because he knows Joe Root is at the other end. When Root retires, Brook will have to be trusted, but for now Root lets the younger players express themselves. The players know that when things get tough, Joe Root is still there. It is similar to what Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have meant to India,” said Monty Panesar.This is probably the greatest compliment any batsman can receive. When 10 other players and the coaching staff believe that, as long as you take the risk, anything is possible, you know you’ve earned respect. This is what Root has done throughout his career.If the Root continues to break Sachin Tendulkar‘s all-time Test run record, needing just 1,807 more runs, winning another ICC title, and helping England bring home the Ashes, there will be very little to achieve in international cricket.As Panesar made clear: “If he does that, then Joe Root will win. Winning the World Cup in South Africa would be huge for him.”Meanwhile, Root continues to do what he has done for more than a decade: run the wickets, frustrate the bowlers, and prove that the old-fashioned batting still has a place in the modern game.
