Agency :
Joe Root celebrated only his second Test century on the Asian sub-continent with a flying air-punch as he led England, and very much his England, a huge step closer to a significant series victory over Sri Lanka.
While Root had a very good series indeed as a captain and strategist, he was yet to truly contribute with the bat and had become a bit of a target after three consecutive dismissals to left-arm spinners.
This innings changed all that, and in a series where the team finally feels like his now that former captain Alastair Cook is no longer looming large, Root’s approach today was the very personification of the attacking cricket that has brought them success in Sri Lanka.
He has spoken numerous times about the need to score quickly, even if it means losing wickets, on surfaces where the ball is turning. With that in mind, most of this England batting line-up have had their own aggressive cameos in just four innings so far this series and this was Root’s turn, not just sweeping but later using his feet brilliantly and patiently waiting for the ball to use angles that found gaps in a questionably organised field.
Root and Trevor Bayliss have, from the outset, identified this series as an isolated unit of matches played in unique conditions and their squad is composed of the players that they feel will best help them get a victory here, specifically in these conditions, in order to move up the world rankings.
That is why Stuart Broad and Jonny Bairstow, mainstays of the Test side under any other circumstances, were wearing luminous bibs and tracksuit bottoms up on the England balcony. It is the same reason England have played a specialist wicketkeeper, albeit one who has proven important with the bat, for the first time in years. On a basic level it is horses for courses and on a more advanced level it is analytically-driven selection that has them on the brink of a historic series win on the sub-continent.
Joe Root celebrated only his second Test century on the Asian sub-continent with a flying air-punch as he led England, and very much his England, a huge step closer to a significant series victory over Sri Lanka.
While Root had a very good series indeed as a captain and strategist, he was yet to truly contribute with the bat and had become a bit of a target after three consecutive dismissals to left-arm spinners.
This innings changed all that, and in a series where the team finally feels like his now that former captain Alastair Cook is no longer looming large, Root’s approach today was the very personification of the attacking cricket that has brought them success in Sri Lanka.
He has spoken numerous times about the need to score quickly, even if it means losing wickets, on surfaces where the ball is turning. With that in mind, most of this England batting line-up have had their own aggressive cameos in just four innings so far this series and this was Root’s turn, not just sweeping but later using his feet brilliantly and patiently waiting for the ball to use angles that found gaps in a questionably organised field.
Root and Trevor Bayliss have, from the outset, identified this series as an isolated unit of matches played in unique conditions and their squad is composed of the players that they feel will best help them get a victory here, specifically in these conditions, in order to move up the world rankings.
That is why Stuart Broad and Jonny Bairstow, mainstays of the Test side under any other circumstances, were wearing luminous bibs and tracksuit bottoms up on the England balcony. It is the same reason England have played a specialist wicketkeeper, albeit one who has proven important with the bat, for the first time in years. On a basic level it is horses for courses and on a more advanced level it is analytically-driven selection that has them on the brink of a historic series win on the sub-continent.
