England Test captain Joe Root has undermined any worries about his dimmed form this summer, moreover, with the concerns surrounding his mode of dismissals.
Root’s second stint as England’s Test skipper has begun on a positive note collectively, as the hosts thrashed Pakistan in the first two matches of the three-Test series.
In the 1st Test in Leeds, England won by an innings and 103 runs, and the hosts clinched the 2nd ENG vs PAK Test at Lord’s by 194 runs. England’s fast bowlers have dominated the Pakistani batsmen throughout the two Tests, with Ollie Robinson bagging Man of the Match awards in both games. The right-arm pacer leads the wickets column with 16 scalps taken at an average of only 7.19.
While the return to full-time captaincy for Root has been prosperous for this team, following the 2-1 home series defeat against New Zealand, the captain has found the going tough this summer.
There’s a reason why I’ve got 14,000 runs: Joe Root backs himself to find top form
In 5 Test matches – 3 vs New Zealand and 2 vs Pakistan – Joe Root has scored 265 runs at an average of 29 with two fifties to his name and no three-figure score. This average of 29 is Root’s second-lowest in a home season in his Test career.
There has been a pronounced pattern to his dismissals: in nine innings this summer so far, Root has been dismissed LBW seven times.
After the Lord’s Test victory, Joe Root spoke on his personal batting form in the last five Tests, downplaying the public unease around his LBW dismissals.
Root told the BBC, “I’ve played this game a long time, and I’ve always found ways of solving those problems and working it through. I don’t see this as being any different. There’s a reason why I’ve got 14,000 runs and a reason why I’ve played the best part of 15 years at this level.
“Of course it’s frustrating that there’s sort of a trend. There are probably four umpires’ calls within that, which could have gone the other way, and the ball is probably deviating more than it ever has.
In 23 multi-match Test series wins that Joe Root has been involved with for England, it is only the 7th time that his average across the series has been lower than 40. Further, this is the first time Root has not been able to hit a hundred in the home Test summer since 2019.
He would hope to improve on those fronts in the third Test: the ENG vs PAK 3rd Test is scheduled to commence on September 9 at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
“You try and be realistic and understand where everything’s at, but also be aware of what you need to do to keep improving and keep getting better. I’m pretty sure I’ll get through the other side. I’m not too concerned about that,” Root expressed optimism.
“You’re never given anything in this game. You have to work for everything. You have to keep working hard and I’ll certainly keep doing that.
Root is currently the No. 2 ranked ICC Test batsman. Another significant conversation surrounding Root in recent years has been whether he would be able to catch up and go past Tendulkar.
How many runs is Joe Root behind Sachin Tendulkar in Test cricket?
By the end of August 2026, Root has scored 14208 runs in Test cricket and now sits only 1713 runs behind Tendulkar’s tally of 15921 Test runs. Root is 35 years old and is expected to play at least a couple of more years. In this period, he is likely to break Tendulkar’s record for most runs in Test cricket.
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