England batter Joe Root has been under the scanner amid his poor show in the ongoing Test tour of India. After England’s 434-run defeat in the third Test in Rajkot on Sunday, Root has only managed just 77 runs in six innings across three matches. In the third Test, Root got out playing a rash shot in the first innings, before being trapped LBW in the second by Ravindra Jadeja. His mode of dismissal in the first innings, however, caught the attention of several former England players.
Root lost his wicket while attempting a reverse scoop off Jasprit Bumrah’s delivery. He failed to time his shot and was caught in the slip cordon.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain said that people felt that Root does not sit suitable with England’s ‘Bazball’ school of cricket, but the average of 51 under skipper Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, a rise from his average of 49 proves it wrong.
“After the first two Tests against India, we said that Root might not be suited to Bazball. But the stats say otherwise. He averages 51 under this regime and he averaged 49 before that. His dismissal sort of sums up where we are with Bazball. It will thrill and frustrate in equal measure. When he is playing those reverse-scoops to the first ball of the day of an Ashes Test, we all jump up and applaud. When he does it to Bumrah here and gets out, we all say ‘what a disgrace’,” Hussain told Sky Sports.
However, Hussain admitted that ‘Bazball’ is about soaking pressure as well and Root should have taken the game deep and used the shot later.
“One thing Joe will look at is the timing of that shot. Ashwin was not there, India are down a bowler; Ravindra Jadeja is playing off the back of an injury; Jasprit Bumrah is playing three Tests in a row and there is talk of him needing a rest. Bazball is about being attacking but it is also about soaking up pressure. Get Bumrah into his second or third spell, take it deep and then play the shot later in the day,” he further explained.
India won the third Test by 434 runs and now lead the series 2-1.
