'I don't like that' - AB de Villiers displeased with batter's approach in the India vs England Test series

The ongoing India vs England Test series has produced good batting wickets and many youngsters have stamped their authority.

 By Monojit Das Feb 22, 2024, 12:48 IST
AB de Villiers speaks on Joe Root?width=963&height=541&resizemode=4
AB de Villiers spoke on Joe Root's batting approach in the ongoing India vs England Test series.

Before the start of the ongoing India vs England Test series, Joe Root was expected to score massive runs for England. His record in India suggests that he has been one of the best overseas batters to have played in India. In the last series that England played here during 2020-21, Root was the highest run-scorer with 368 runs in 8 innings on bowling friendly surfaces.

But Root’s form has been a concern for England in this series. The England No. 4 batter has aggregated just 77 runs in 6 innings at an average of 12.83. He has received criticism from various factions of the cricketing world because of his changed aggressive approach towards batting.

Former South African legend AB de Villiers has criticized Root for adopting England’s Bazball approach. He believed Root was going out of his norm while trying to be ultra-aggressive. 

"When I played against him (Root), I felt he was one of the best Test batters I have ever played against. But that has changed, and it's because of Bazball. I know it's a big statement but the ones that you find hardest to play against in Test match cricket are the ones who are hardest to get out. And now he is getting out on reverse sweeps and kind of blowing out of his norm. I don't like that,” De Villiers said about Root’s batting approach.

‘You're the glue of this batting line-up’: AB de Villiers wants Root to bat long

"Players like these (Root) should be told, 'Listen, you just go out and play your natural game. You're the glue of this batting line-up.' Let Ben Duckett or Ben Stokes play aggressively. Let Root bat long," he added.

Joe Root has been considered as one of the topmost batters of this generation. His shot selection in this series has drawn plenty of criticism from the cricketing world. His wicket in the first innings of the third Test, in which hewas trying to reverse-sweep Jasprit Bumrah, opened the gates for India and led to England’s fall of wickets.

Read: Ryan Sidebottom doesn't want Root to focus too much on Bazball

India lead the series 2-1 going into Ranchi. England will hope their best batter to get a big score and play a match-winning innings for his team.

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