The captain weighed him down, freedom set him free: Joe Root’s remarkable second act

Joe Root’s remarkable feat (Image: AI Generated) NEW DELHI: Joe Root completed the ODI series against India unbeaten, scoring 249 runs in three innings to lead England to a 2-1 series win. At 36, while many of his contemporaries have retired, Root continues to redefine consistency across formats. Root’s scores of 76, 99 and 74 in this series all came when the team needed him the most and he was deservedly named Player of the Series.Throughout the three-match ODI series against India, Root was England’s batting backbone. He scored 76 in the first ODI to help England recover from 107/6 to 258, followed it up with a match-winning 99 in the second ODI and chased down 234 to finish with an unbeaten 74 in the third ODI to anchor England’s record total of 387 runs, supporting Ben Duckett with a slow 141 at the death.

India had no answer for Joe Root

Joe Root breathed fire against India on their home soil, denying India a fairytale comeback after their 0-4 loss in the T20I series. With the presence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, India fought well but could not stop home hero Root who continued to give the visitors a headache.Remember Root’s bat-drop celebration against India in 2018? That was the last time England won an ODI series against India and the hero then too was none other than Root. He 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 across Tests and ODIs, consistently delivering when the team needed him most. Now 36, he is still thriving despite many of his contemporaries such as Alastair Cook, Eoin Morgan, Andrew Flintoff, Kevin Pietersen and most recently Ben Stokes retiring from international cricket.The moot point is how Root continues to compete with the youngsters as he did a decade ago. What is the secret of his longevity? Former England spinner Monty Panesar, who once shared the dressing room with Root, revealed the secret.In an interview with TimesofIndia.com, Monty Panesar pointed out Root’s hunger for runs and how he develops with every match, making every pitch feel like his own den.

‘England is the best he has ever played’

“I think he’s just hungry. He loves playing cricket and he’s still hungry to score runs. He’s still got that passion and he probably wants to establish himself as one of the best cricketers in England. With an ODI average of over 50 and a Test average over 50, he probably feels he’s got a couple of years left in him. When he retires, he wants to be remembered as England’s greatest Montcom Panesdia cricketer.In the modern T20 era, where batsmen seem to step in, smash the ball and leave, Root prefers to stay in the crease and play like an old-school batsman who believes in building the innings rather than throwing away his wicket on a reckless shot.“When I played with him, he had a very solid defence. He was always comfortable playing reverse sweeps, paddles and those little scoring shots. They looked very easy. You can see how his game has evolved, even in Test cricket where he now plays lapsweep through the slips for six. But on grounds like Cardiff where you play more traditional style of cricket, where you have more traditional cricket. That’s why his game is so effective. That’s the difference between Joe Root and many of today’s younger players,” added Monty Panesar.

The many careers of Joe Root

There is another story that defines Joe Root’s career – his journey before, during and after 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 amassed 8,680 runs in 149 matches at an average of 49.31. And since stepping down as captain in 2022, Root has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence. He amassed 5,942 runs in 89 matches at an average of 53.05, scored 20 centuries and rediscovered his best form in both Tests and ODIs.

JOE ROOT

“The captain changed the root but did not break it”

“I think his period as captain was extremely difficult. England went through a difficult phase where they won only one of 17 Test matches and he eventually had to retire. Those difficult times probably strengthened him. Now he is enjoying the freedom that comes without the burden of captaincy and he is making the most of it because he knows how difficult things were during that period. I think those experiences have increased his desire to play as long as possible. He is running for England again,” said Monty Panesar.

Why has Root failed to overcome T20 cricket?

Whenever Joe Root is compared to the Fab Four, one question is always asked: Why has he failed to dominate the T20Is?There is Virat Kohli who has excelled in every format he has played. Kane Williamson has shown his class across formats. Steve Smith did the same. But Root has always believed in elegant batting over power shots.“I think his game is naturally better suited to the longer formats than T20 cricket and that is probably why he has not been as successful in the shortest format. If you compare him to today’s younger batsmen, their games are built around T20 cricket. Joe Root’s strengths are more suited to Test cricket and ODIs. T20 is probably the toughest and most explosive shot for him. on the other hand, his technique and temperament are perfectly suited to Test cricket and ODIs,” explained Panesar.

‘Root is to England what Virat-Rohit are to India’: Kumble

England’s reply Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma

India have relied heavily on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for years. England, meanwhile, relied on one man whenever the batting was under pressure: Joseph Edward Root. After Root’s unbeaten 99 against India in the second ODI, former India captain Anil Kumble said, “What Virat and Rohit are to India, Root is to England.”This statement perfectly justifies how far Root has come in his career.“Joe Root provides a lot of comfort to someone like Harry Brook. Harry Brook can go out and play his attacking strokes because he knows Joe Root is at the other end. When Root eventually retires, Brook may have to be more responsible, but right now Root is allowing the younger players to express themselves. The players know that when things get tough, Joe Root is still there. It’s similar to what Virat Kohli has with Monta Roit and Sharma Kohli,” he said.That’s probably the biggest compliment any dough can get. When 10 other players and a coaching staff believe that anything is possible as long as you’re in the box, you know you’ve earned that respect. This is exactly what Root has built throughout his career.If Root surpasses Sachin Tendulkar’s previous record in Test runs, needs just 1,807 more runs, wins another ICC title and helps England reclaim the Ashes at home, there is very little left for him to achieve in international cricket.As Panesar rightly observed, “If he does that, it would be the icing on the cake for Joe Root. To win the World Cup in South Africa would be absolutely massive for him.”For now, Root continues to do what he has been doing for over a decade: score runs, frustrate bowlers and prove that the classic bat still has a place in the modern game.