Joe Root has enjoyed a tremendous 2021 as his batting form goes up a notch in the current series against India but he will be aiming to create more records and help England win on a consistent basis.
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In the current era of England’s Test cricketing fortunes, Joe Root holds a place of prominence and brilliance. A fragile batting line-up, not helped by inconsistency from the newcomers, has been held up only because of the brilliance of Root. The ongoing series against India is proof of his awesome prowess. In fact, 2021 has been a statistical wonder for Joe Root in many ways.
Against India, he has scored 875 runs in the calendar year. Consider this, he is just 99 runs away from breaking Sir Don Bradman’s record of 974 runs against a single opponent in a calendar year. That is a different thing altogether that Bradman achieved all this in one series. Out of his 23 Test hundreds, he has eight against India. His average of 62 is his best against any opponent.
The numbers in 2021 are even more staggering for Root. In 11 Tests, he has hit 1398 runs at an average of 69.9 with six centuries, all against sub-continent nations. With six Tests remaining in the year, Root can very overhaul another record. That is the mark of 1788 runs set by Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf in the calendar year of 2006.
With 390 and 99 runs needed for Joe Root to create history, the summer holds full of promise for Joe Root. There are questions on his captaincy but he has silenced them with the bat. The performance of the team cannot just be pinned down to Root and his decisions. The batting has been a constant problem for England in the last couple of series. Consider this, it is after seven Tests that England has crossed 400. When they last did, England won a match and Root had a vital part in this.
What has clicked for Joe Root? If one has a look at his scoring pattern, he is much more in control. Root has traditionally been a backfoot player who hangs back and plays his strokes late, very much similar to the Kane Williamson mold. Most of the runs that he has scored in this series have predominantly been through the point and third man region.
According to one coach who spoke to Cricbuzz, Root is achieving success as he is batting more side-on and is feet are in the right position.
The India series is one step toward a greater goal for England cricket. The hosts are currently trailing 0-1. But with the performance in Leeds, they are in a good position to make a comeback in the series. But, it is after this series that England’s major Test lies. The Ashes contest is something that Root and England would like to conquer after almost a decade of pain.
Since England last won in 2010/11, they have lost nine out of 10 Tests in Australia. The Aussies retained the Ashes in England after a gap of 18 years. Root will also have a point to prove when he steps foot in Australia. For a player who has a remarkable record everywhere, it is surprising that his returns in Australia are low.
In 2013 and 2017, Root has hit six fifties in 15 innings with a highest of 87. Every single time Root has had a start in Australia, he has floundered. During the 2017 Ashes, he hit fifties in four out of the five Ashes Tests. Root has two 80s in Australia. In 2021, with the Australian team plagued by off-field distractions, this is the ideal time for Root to capitalize.
His performances in the 2021 calendar year have made him one of the foremost batsmen among the Fab 4 in the modern era. In the last two years, Root has hit 2713 runs with an average of 50 and he has hit eight centuries. Steve Smith and Kane Williamson have an average in excess of 60, with Williamson hitting 68.
Kohli’s lean patch has seen him fall well below the pegging order, with an average of 38 in the last couple of years. The sheer volume of runs in 2021 has tilted the brilliance in favor of Root in the Fab 4. The England skipper was forever lagging behind the likes of Smith, Kohli, and Williamson in the Test match arena. But, if Root can continue to shine with the bat and help England win against India and the Ashes, then the debate as to who is the best of the Fab 4 will take a big turn.
