Joe Root Aims to Support Ben Stokes in Upcoming Test Series Against India
Root's Commitment to Stokes
Leeds [UK], June 18: Joe Root, England's star batter, expressed his intention to repay Test captain Ben Stokes for the support he received during Stokes' tenure as vice-captain from 2017 to 2022.
Out of Root's impressive total of 13,006 Test runs, 3,117 have been scored in the last three years, coinciding with the period since Stokes took over the captaincy.
Initially feeling out of place upon returning to the squad after his captaincy, Root has averaged an impressive 56.67 during what he describes as the most enjoyable phase of his career. He believes that the best way to assist Stokes is by contributing significant runs.
“Ben has done so much for me as my vice-captain, and now it’s my turn to give back. It felt strange coming back into the team after leading it. I didn’t want to interfere with Ben’s role, but I wanted him to know I was there to support him,” Root shared with a sports outlet.
“I recognized that scoring runs was a crucial part of that support. I aimed to influence matches with my batting, and by following his lead as a former captain, it sends a strong message to newer players,” he added.
Brendon McCullum's appointment as head coach has led to a successful partnership with Stokes, giving rise to the 'Bazball' style of cricket in 2022. While this approach emphasizes aggressive play, Root believes there is more depth to it than what is often recognized.
“This has been the most enjoyable time of my career. The way we play and the environment created by Ben and Brendon has been fantastic, making it a lot of fun,” he remarked.
“It might not always be accurately reported; I don’t think 'Bazball' fully encapsulates it. There’s a significant method behind it that goes beyond the surface,” he continued.
As England prepares for the upcoming five-Test series against India starting June 20 at Headingley, Root's form will be crucial. Despite the absence of key players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who retired from Test cricket last year, India remains a formidable opponent.
India's squad includes: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana.
England's squad for the first Test against India features: Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Ben Stokes (capt), Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.