Joe Root seizes on reprieve and edges further up list of the all-time greats | Simon Burnton

Approximately 20 minutes into the game, England found themselves in a difficult situation. Two more players were out, leaving them with only five players left. They were still behind by 223 runs, and Ben Stokes had not yet scored any points while standing at the bowler's end. Joe Root hit the ball towards long leg, earning his 14th run of the match and his 11,954th in his Test career. With this achievement, he surpassed Brian Lara to become the seventh highest-scoring player in Test cricket. Each run brought him closer to making history.

In the ongoing series, Root is doing very well in his run chase, even though he claims he is not interested. He has moved up in the rankings and has already passed Jayawardene and Chanderpaul. His average this summer is 72.75 and he is on track to surpass Sangakkara and possibly Cook by the end of the final Test in September. With Anderson retiring, England is now without their top wicket-taker, which could be a challenge for the team in the coming weeks.

In the second half of the game, Root once again played impressively to save his team from a difficult situation. He was also fortunate, which was important. If England wins and completes a clean sweep, many might disregard the West Indies team as weak and use this series as proof that Test cricket is losing its value. However, the tourists can argue that they were strong competitors at Trent Bridge except for one chaotic session. If they lose, they could blame it on one crucial moment, a bad call by the umpire, and their reluctance to challenge it.

During the second over of the day, Jayden Seales aimed the ball towards Root's legs. The 33-year-old attempted to hit it towards midwicket, but his technique was off and he mistimed the shot. The umpire and the fielding team initially didn't think the ball would hit the wicket, but after checking HawkEye, it was clear that it would have hit the leg stump. Root's score was only three at that time.

Ollie Pope got out in the next over, followed by Harry Brook in the one after that. At that point, England could have been 54 for six, trailing by 228 and heading towards a disaster. However, Root, who had been given a second chance, brought some stability to their batting. When he was finally out, England was only trailing by 51 runs and Jamie Smith was starting to find his groove.

The game wasn't going well for England, who are known for being a bit reckless at times. They have been improving their playing style, but there is still room for improvement. Sometimes in a game, it's necessary to slow things down and play defensively in order to regain control, even if it goes against the desire to entertain the audience.

Maybe there was something in the air at Edgbaston that inspired them. Three years ago, the city council in the area started promoting a new catchphrase: "Be fearless, be Birmingham." The website explains that being fearless means being confident, courageous, and willing to take risks. It says that Birmingham and its residents embody these characteristics.

Another term is now linked with this England squad, but they are also aiming to emulate Birmingham. They have acknowledged that it might be beneficial to be more composed and thoughtful at times - still reflecting Birmingham's vibe, but with a bit more restraint. It's okay to be like Solihull every now and then.

Leading up to this Test match, Ben Stokes discussed how his team has been focusing on staying calm and composed, taking breaks from the chaos of cricket and finding time to relax in the quiet suburbs. However, in the intense first hour of their innings, which spanned the end of day one and the beginning of day two, this newfound serenity was hard to spot. Five wickets fell quickly, with players making costly mistakes and running into trouble head-on.

At Trent Bridge, Root created a crucial partnership with Brook that helped England get through the toughest part of the game. In this match, he played a similar role alongside Stokes, relieving pressure from his team and putting it on their opponents. This set the stage for Smith and Chris Woakes to take control of the game and make the seemingly impossible possible.

When it comes to Sachin Tendulkar, the legendary cricketer, he is currently 3,960 runs short. In moments like these, it seems like only a question of when, not if.