England Test captain Joe Root has fulfilled the second spinner’s role to perfection on day 2 of the Pink-Ball Test in Motera stadium. He took a wicket of the very first delivery of his spell to dismiss Rishabh Pant. He then struck twice more to dismiss Washington Sundar and Axar Patel as India lost five wickets in the first session for just 26 runs. India started the day on 99 for 3 and lost five wickets in a space of seven overs.
After he got the edge of Pant to dismiss him, the ball which dismissed Washington Sundar turned sharply and beat the bat of Sundar. Joe Root thus was over the moon after the quick wickets he took for his team. The root is getting enough help from the wickets to keep the Indian lower-order guessing.
England skipper Joe Root was not a happy man after the end of the day’s play on day 1 of the Pink-Ball Test. A couple of key decisions went against them in which the third umpire Shamshuddin had a role to play. India ended day one on 99 for 3 when they could have easily been five down had right decisions being made. Post the day’s end Root with England coach Chris Silverwood spoke to the ICC match referee, Srinath after seeing two decisions going India’s way without the third umpire giving enough time and attention in the case of Rohit Sharma’s stumping appeal.
England players had a problem with the third umpire not reviewing the decision from all possible angle and the third umpire reaching to a decision on a haste. Shamsuddin who appeared to have reached his conclusions into the two matters quite quickly without spending much time in assessing all angles involved.
Joe Root was questioning the umpire at the bowlers end as and asking for transparency and consistency in decisions despite the umpires having all the luxury to make proper decisions.
Here is the video of Joe Root Dismissing Washington Sundar
That is a ‘Gatting ball’ – Joe Root! #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/cQJGiPbMkA
— simon hughes (@theanalyst) February 25, 2021