Root primed for Test series against 'brilliant' India
As England brace themselves for a highly anticipated home series against India, kicking off this week in Headingley, Joe Root is relishing the busy stretch of red-ball cricket. The England batting icon is revving up for what promise to be a thrilling few months, with the Ashes in Australia scheduled later this year.
"You can only be excited. These are the series you play for. The opportunities in front of us are epic," said Joe Root to former teammate Stuart Broad in a conversation on Sky Sports.
Since 2022, when he stepped down as Test skipper, Root has been England's most consistent run-scorer - amassing 3,117 runs at an average of 56.67 across 36 Tests. The 34-year-old concedes this period has been the most enjoyable of his career, with runs pouring off his bat.
"It has become the most fun time of my career. Playing the way we play, the environment that has been created. The job Ben [Stokes] and Brendon [McCullum] have done has been fabulous and so much fun has come with it.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Cricket Council
3 days ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
Root primed for Test series against 'brilliant' India
As England brace themselves for a highly anticipated home series against India, kicking off this week in Headingley, Joe Root is relishing the busy stretch of red-ball cricket. The England batting icon is revving up for what promise to be a thrilling few months, with the Ashes in Australia scheduled later this year. "You can only be excited. These are the series you play for. The opportunities in front of us are epic," said Joe Root to former teammate Stuart Broad in a conversation on Sky Sports. Since 2022, when he stepped down as Test skipper, Root has been England's most consistent run-scorer - amassing 3,117 runs at an average of 56.67 across 36 Tests. The 34-year-old concedes this period has been the most enjoyable of his career, with runs pouring off his bat. "It has become the most fun time of my career. Playing the way we play, the environment that has been created. The job Ben [Stokes] and Brendon [McCullum] have done has been fabulous and so much fun has come with it.'
The National
3 days ago
- The National
England v India: Joe Root in a league of his own as he chases Test immortality
The 'Fab Four' was a thing a few years back. Cricket was enjoying a golden period where four young batters were raising the bar constantly and producing incredible performances in all formats. Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, Joe Root and Kane Williamson seemed to have the world at their feet; stylish players with a solid technique, strong leadership qualities and ability to adapt to any condition. Out of these, India great Kohli abruptly retired from the Test format earlier this after a poor run against New Zealand at home and away in Australia. Australia veteran Smith has regained his form to a degree, powering his team to the World Test Championship final where he dropped an important catch against South Africa in the second innings, saw the Proteas lift their first world title, and also hurt his finger in the process. Kiwi legend Williamson's international future remains uncertain as he has turned down a central contract for a second season. So, it's just Root still standing. That did not seem likely a few seasons back as the other three seemed to be forging ahead, while Root embarked upon a strange quest to reinvent his batting in red-ball cricket with the aid of ungainly ramps, reverse scoops and all-out attacking batting. It was a challenge Root took upon himself, tested it as much as he wanted – credit for which must go to an accommodating team management – and now stands at the gates of cricketing immortality. Amid the upheaval, Root, still only 34, has crossed the 13,000-run mark in Test cricket (13,006 to be exact). That is by far the most runs among active cricketers and a little under 3,000 away from the pinnacle – Sachin Tendulkar's tally of 15,921 Test runs. In fact, if Root scores more than 372 runs in the five-match series, he will move up from fifth to second in the all-time Test runs tally, overtaking Ricky Ponting and landing right behind Tendulkar. The right-handed batter still has a good five or six years of cricket left in him, and with England playing almost twice as many matches in each cycle compared to most other sides, Root can and should overtake Tendulkar. That would make the former England captain the most successful Test batter of all time, and secure his position in Test history forever. It is only fair that England get to boast having the most successful batter and fast bowlers (James Anderson and Stuart Broad) in Test cricket; after all, they consistently play more Test matches than other teams and have also funneled all their resources to the red-ball format, at least for the foreseeable future. While the future looks rosy, Root must now plan for the India series that begins this Friday. The five-Test series provides captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum a chance to make a fresh start in their pursuit of Test excellence after a disjointed campaign of the previous cycle that had a lot of noise but limited results; England finished fifth in the table. There is nothing holding back England now. And no one to challenge Root's supremacy either. India are without Kohli, along with captain Rohit Sharma and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, all now retired from the format. Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is expected to play no more than three out of the five Tests as the previous five-match series in Australia broke his back. India are being led by young batter Shubman Gill, who is yet to prove his mettle in the Test format and is not yet the undisputed leader of the dressing room. That means if Root and England keep their eyes on the ball, they can start the new cycle on a positive note. By the end of this cycle, England could get a taste of the World Test Championship final, and Root a glimpse of Tendulkar's landmark.
Int'l Cricket Council
4 days ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle commences with Sri Lanka-Bangladesh and England-India series
Fresh from South Africa becoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 winners, the next cycle begins in earnest with a string of high-profile series kicking off proceedings. Sri Lanka's two-Test series at home against Bangladesh, which begins on 17 June, is the first contest of the 2025-27 cycle and soon overlaps with a five-Test showdown between England and India. The two teams will go head-to-head at Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord's, Old Trafford and The Oval in the coming weeks. Beaten finalists Australia begin their bid to regain their WTC crown in the Caribbean as they take on West Indies in a three-Test series for the right to lift the Frank Worrell Trophy. As per the previous cycles, nine teams will contest the WTC and each nation will play six other sides – three home and three away – over the course of the two-year period. Australia play 11 matches at home – including an Ashes series against England later this year and four Tests against New Zealand – and the same number away. England play 11 Tests on their own turf and 10 on the road, visiting beaten WTC Final 2025 finalists South Africa for a three-Test tour in December 2026. India will play 18 matches in this cycle, split evenly home and away, with 2021 champions New Zealand playing in 16. The points percentage system used in the previous two editions will determine the leaderboard with teams getting 12 points for a win, six for a tie and four for a draw. ICC Chair, Mr. Jay Shah, is looking forward to the next instalment of the WTC and wished players all the best ahead of the new cycle. Mr. Shah said: 'The third edition of the World Test Championship came to a fantastic conclusion at Lord's as Australia and South Africa played out a classic encounter and we now look forward to the next instalment. 'This Championship continues to invigorate Test match cricket, and four of the nine competing nations have now reached a Final over the first three cycles. 'Bringing context for players and fans, as well as a high level of competitiveness, is key and the big turnout out at Lord's – as well as the viewership levels across the globe – for the Final is testimony to the continued popularity of Test cricket. 'I would like to thank the Member Boards for their continued support of this exciting concept and wish the players all the very best as they begin their journey towards the next Final in 2027.' ENDS
