Joe Root is still a crucial component of England’s Test squad as he demonstrated on Day 1 of the first Ashes Test in Edgbaston. Root’s brilliant 118* helped his team reach 393/8, where they made the decision to declare the innings.
It is common for England batters to make rash shots that lead to their dismissal due to the BazBall strategy and ultra-attacking cricket mentality.
Although Root is still the middle order fulcrum who steps up when the team needs him, he is also arguably one of England’s best Test batters.
On that note, let’s take a look at five such Ashes knocks from Joe Root where he proved why he is truly a world-class batter:
1. Lord’s, Ashes 2013, 180 runs
Joe Root’s best Ashes performance to date occurred at the Lord’s, known as the “Home of Cricket,” which may be fitting. When Root first started playing in Tests, he was an opener, and he demonstrated perfectly why back then, English cricketers thought he was the game’s brightest future.
It was now time for Root and other England batters to bat again and bat Australia out of the game after they had already given up a huge 233 run lead to Australia.
As the hosts gave Australia a lofty goal of 583, that is what transpired. Once more, the visitors were thoroughly outclassed, falling short by a score of 347 runs.
2 Ashes, 2015 Cardiff, 134 Runs
By scoring an incredible 100 in the first Test in Cardiff, Joe Root set the tone for England in the Ashes 2015. In the first innings, the hosts’ 430 massive total was made possible by his 134.
In their attempt to respond, Australia struggled to bat well and gave up a huge 122 run deficit.
The visitors appeared to always be playing catch-up after that because they were consistently behind in the game.
Assuring that the Australians would have a bit too much to chase down, Root followed up his hundred with a fine 60 in the second innings.
3. Ashes, 2015 Trent Bridge, 130 runs
The way that seasoned pacer Stuart Broad demolished the Australian batting in this match—taking 8 wickets and bowling the visitors out for just 60 runs—will go down in history.
With England already in control of the outcome of the match, Root’s outstanding performance only increased their lead.
The outstanding 130-point performance of the star batter helped England declare victory at 391/9. Australia lost by an innings and 78 runs because they simply couldn’t bounce back from their disastrous first inning.
4. Ashes, 2021/22 Brisbane, 89 runs
England suffered a dreadful (0-4) defeat in the Down Under during the 2021/22 Ashes, just before the “Bazball” revolution. As soon as the first ball was bowled, Rory Burns was out, giving the visitors a pretty dismal start to the first Test. But Joe Root was the only thing England could take away from that game.
The former England captain, who played another heroic knock in a losing cause, ended up being the lone fighter for the visitors.
Although Root’s last-ditch 89 ensured that England didn’t lose by an innings, the hosts ultimately prevailed by 9 wickets, as was to be expected.
5. Adelaide, 2013–2014 Ashes, 87 runs
When Mitchell Johnson, a former Australian speedster, was at his best in the 2013–14 Ashes, he consistently dismantled England’s batting order to complete a 5-0 whitewash.
The Adelaide Test, however, was where a young Joe Root first displayed his talent, especially when batters around him started to crumble one after the other. As long as he could, Root postponed the inevitable with a gutsy knock of 87.
Unfortunately, the visitors were defeated by a huge margin of 218 runs, so it was insufficient.
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