England vs West Indies: Joe Root keeps ticking off the milestones in England middle order in third Test
Joe Root is considered one of England's best players in history.
While scoring 87 runs on the second day of the third Test against West Indies at Edgbaston, Root showcased why he is on track to solidify his position as one of the greatest Test batsmen of all time across all countries.
His total number of runs reached over 12,000 in international matches in the longest form of the game. He also surpassed Sir Alastair Cook as the top Test run-scorer at Edgbaston with 920 runs and counting. Additionally, he moved past West Indies legend Brian Lara and now sits at seventh on the list of all-time Test run-scorers.
The 33-year-old player was removed from the game 13 runs short of scoring his 33rd hundred in Test matches. This means that he is currently one century behind his former teammate Cook on England's list of top century-makers. However, this small fact does not take away from the former captain's ongoing positive impact for his national team.
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"He played really well today and I believe everyone was surprised when he didn't score a century," Mark Butcher, a former English cricketer, commented on Sky Sports.
In that lineup, there are some players who I admire and have played against. He has surpassed Brian Lara, who was likely the top hero, and is now chasing after the others.
"He is an exceptional player, and I have enjoyed seeing him play since he stepped down as captain. While giving up the captaincy did not affect his batting skills and may have even brought out the best in him, he has now embraced the responsibility of being the experienced leader in the batting order."
Just like before, Root played an important part in helping England recover from a difficult situation against West Indies. England were struggling at 54-5 early on day two, trying to surpass the tourists' first-innings total of 282.
Assisted by Ben Stokes, they formed a crucial partnership for the sixth wicket, scoring 115 runs. However, the captain was then out for 54 shortly after lunch. Root and Jamie Smith then stayed strong, adding another 62 runs for the seventh wicket. Unfortunately, Smith fell just five runs short of his first Test century after a partnership with Chris Woakes.
Gudakesh Motie successfully removed Root by trapping him lbw, in addition to bowling him at Lord's. Former Australia international Mel Jones believed it took a remarkable effort to dismiss a player who appears to still be at the top of his game as a batsman.
"I reflect on it now as an Australian examining his career and all the disapproval towards him, it's like he has managed to constantly reinvent himself," Jones stated during an interview with Sky Sports.
"He continues to improve with each game and is truly delightful to watch. I couldn't help but feel excitement watching his strong front-foot defense - it's a rare sight in today's game!"
That's the amazing thing about watching him play. You can't help but wonder how the other team will manage to stop him.
Root has fully embraced the bold tactics encouraged by Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum while leading the Test team. He has successfully incorporated the ramp shot, typically seen in white-ball cricket, into his game in red-ball matches.
Despite the fact that his performance at Edgbaston was more consistent than in previous years, he still managed to score at a rate of 70.16, hitting seven fours. Butcher is amazed by Root's ability to seamlessly transition between different strategies.
"I believe his playing speed is excellent," Butcher commented. "We have witnessed him being extremely aggressive under Stokes and McCullum at the start."
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"Now he explains, 'Here is my strategy: I go out, score runs, and I do so at a fast pace without going crazy'."
It's really enjoyable to see him hitting the ball. He's like a painter creating a masterpiece with his batting skills. That's basically the perfect way to describe him.
England Tests West Indies
Tune in to Day 3 of the third Test match between England and West Indies at Edgbaston. You can watch it live on Sky Sports Cricket starting at 10:15 am on Sunday. The first ball will be bowled at 11am.
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