Joe Root is all set to create history when he becomes the 15th England player to play 100 Tests when he steps out at the MA Chidambaram stadium on Friday. Having begun his journey in India in 2012. the England skipper has been touted as one of the greatest players ever from England, with former batsman Geoffrey Boycott stating that he might even break the record set by Sachin Tendulkar for the most number of runs. In the recent series against Sri Lanka, Joe Root hit a double century and century. In India, Joe Root averages 53 with a high score of 124 from six Tests. Joe Root is acknowledged as the best player against spin and during the pre-match press conference, the Yorkshire right-hander said that his battle with R Ashwin could determine the outcome of the series.
R Ashwin got the better of Steve Smith in the recent series against Australia and Joe Root is trusting on the sweep shot, something that he is very capable of to get the better of India's premier off-spinner in the four-Test series. "I just have to play Ashwin well. I will not look to dominate and defend. He is a fine bowler and has a great record in India. I have played against him and he has had the better of me a couple of times. This is the contest I have to get the better of. You have to play all the bowling well. Ball-by-ball mentality will help me," Joe Root said.
On asked what made his sweep shot the best in England, Joe Root opened up on the early training he had which honed his skills. "As a young lad, I was small. It took me time to grow physically. The sweep shot was one I could generate more power from. That was the only shot I played with a big proportion in junior players. I have watched a lot of cricket. It is about understanding on line and length. The bounce might be an issue as well as turn. It all needs to be factored and calculated. My club ground pitch spun consistently and we had a good overseas pro in Nadeem Khan. I had a good education on playing that side of the batting. The sweep shot is a lucrative shot and it gives me runs. The pitches in Sri Lanka was the lowest risk option. It was good to combat it with whatever they offer. I may have to find a different way of scoring runs. Assessing the attack will be key," Root said.
Freak accident and inspiration from Australia series
England's preparations hit a roadblock when Zak Crawley was ruled out for the first two Tests after slipping on the marble floor. The statement from the England Cricket Board stated, "Crawley has jarred his right wrist, which has sprained the joint and led to local inflammation. The Kent player sustained the injury during England's practice in Chennai on Tuesday when he slipped on the marble floor leaving the dressing rooms onto the field of play."
On the accident, Root said, "We have tried to put some towels down (Zak Crawley slip). It is not something you think about when you hit the ground. It is a freak accident," Root said.
However, Joe Root believes that many teams can take inspiration from the way India managed to get the better of Australia in their conditions despite suffering from so many injuries. The depth in the Indian team was exhibited brilliantly in that series which they won 2-1.
"A lot of sides will look at that series in Australia and take a huge amount of confidence. Australia is a difficult place to win. Teams will see that and think it is possible to win away. There is pressure. We should embrace that challenge. We have had competition for places and there is depth in the squad. We are not reliant on few individuals as it was the case a couple of years," Joe Root said.