The Ranchi Test match between India and England witnessed an interesting turn of events on Day 2, not just with the bat and ball but also in terms of strategic bowling decisions. England’s batting mainstay, Joe Root, found himself in an unusual position as he was called upon to bowl a solitary over by captain Ben Stokes. This move raised eyebrows and led to questions about Root’s feelings regarding the tactic.
Joe Root’s batting brilliance
Root’s outstanding form with the bat continued as he notched up his 31st Test century on the opening day of the Ranchi Test. His unbeaten knock of 122 runs played a crucial role in steering England to a respectable first innings total of 353 runs.
Root’s surprise stint as a bowler raises eyebrows
Despite his batting heroics, Root’s contribution with the ball was limited to just one over during the course of the match. His solitary over came towards the end of the third session, where he was brought in by Stokes to facilitate a change of ends for fellow bowler Shoaib Bashir. This unconventional move sparked curiosity and prompted questions about Root’s reaction to being utilized in such a manner.
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Root reacts on any sense of offense
When questioned about his feelings regarding Stokes’ decision to use him as a bowler to change ends, Root responded in a light-hearted manner. He jokingly mentioned how he had previously “abused” Stokes’ body when he was the captain, implying that it was only fair for Stokes to make such decisions now. Root went on to commend the overall team effort and specifically highlighted the impressive performance of rookie off-spinner Shoaib Bashir.
“I think I abused his (Ben Stokes) body when I was captain. I think it’s only fair he does what he wants in terms of using me as a bowler. The way the guys operated today, it was a brilliant effort. I had a great video of them watching, two young spinners in particular. It’s really encouraging for English cricket, for us for the rest of the series and the rest of the game,” said Root.
