The right-handed batter got to his 40th Test ton.
The hundreds column under the name of Joe Root in the Australia section will no longer hold a ‘0’. The English No.4 showcased his brilliance in the second Test against Australia Down Under, getting to his first century on Australian soil. Root’s innings had class written all over it. He looked a bit jittery in the beginning, but quickly held himself to get to the milestone.
The innings played by Joe Root was executed throughout changing conditions, as the floodlights came on during the later half of the day. The centurion walked out to bat with England having lost two wickets for five runs on the board. From there, Root negated the Australian bowlers’ threat, and kept anchoring the innings even though wickets kept tumbling around him.
The English modern-day legend got to the milestone in the 66th over of the first innings, taking 181 deliveries to get to the milestone. If England are to do well on the tour, a lot will rely on the able shoulders of Joe Root. The No.4 batter is regarded as one of the best in the longest format of the game, and the fact that he got to the three-figure mark was an innings of a technical masterclass.
ALSO READ:
The fact that Joe Root did not have a single century on Australian soil in 27 innings in the longest format of the game was a surprising thing, considering his class. There was not a lot that the English batter was doing wrong all these years, except for the stat that he wasn’t able to get to a hundred Down Under. His highest score in Tests in Australia was 89, which he went past on the way to his milestone.
Joe Root walked in to bat with England in all sorts of trouble, and Mitchell Starc breathing fire. He survived a close call, which could have been similar to his dismissal in the first innings of the first Test. Starc was successful in completely squaring up Root, but the ball fell short of second slip and raced away to the boundary. However, that was the only time Root looked jittery.
One thing that stood out for the English stalwart was how he consciously stayed leg-side of the ball in order to judge the trajectory. Root beautifully let the ball come towards himself and did not look rushed in his approach. Moreover, his footwork was completely on point, and the right-handed batter was in complete control throughout his innings.
The 34-year-old getting to the three-figure mark for the first time would mean the world for the English dressing room. It isn’t about the milestone, but about the fact that the Englishman has got going in the series. A lot of their hopes will rely on Root, and him getting a big score in the second Test will increase a lot of hopes for England. Pat Cummins is rumoured to make a comeback in the third Test, and the visitors will need the likes of Joe Root at their best.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
