Former England captain Michael Atherton has clarified a common misunderstanding regarding Joe Root's approach to batting, highlighting that seasoned batter's adoption of the aggressive 'Bazball' style was a personal choice rather than a directive from captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. Despite facing significant criticism for his performance in the first three Tests of the series, where he failed to reach a half-century and was dismissed playing atypical shots, Root's strategy was his own decision. He made a stunning comeback in the ongoing fourth Test against India by cracking his 31st century in the longest format. He ended up notching 122 to help England put a challenging total of 353 on the board on Day 2 of the fourth Test in Ranchi.
Many past players pointed to Root's decision to play a reverse sweep against Jasprit Bumrah in the third Test, which led to his dismissal, as a pivotal moment. However, in the fourth Test in Ranchi, Root showcased a different approach, reminiscent of the skill that ranks him among the finest to play in India. Abandoning the 'Bazball' tactic, he patiently played each ball on its merits, leading to a notable improvement in his performance.
Root's return to form was marked by scoring his 10th century against India, the highest by any player. This century not only marked a significant personal achievement but also played a crucial role in helping England recover from a difficult position.
Michael Atherton busts misconception about Joe Root
"There is a misconception that Root has been playing the extrovert of late under instruction, but that is not the case. Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes are not prescriptive and the expansion of Root’s game has been self-driven, prompted by a desire to buy into a new era out of loyalty to Stokes as well as a desire not to miss out on the fun. But he is smart enough to know when a recalibration is needed; he knew that in Wellington and he knew it here," Atherton wrote in his column for The Times UK.
Root's judgment of length to the spinners was impeccable: Atherton
The ex-England skipper pointed out that Root steered clear of employing sweeps, reverse-sweeps, and largely refrained from using horizontal bat strokes on a surface that exhibited inconsistent bounce.
"So, as they might say in Yorkshire, there was nowt flashy to report. No scoops, reverse-scoops or reverse-sweeps, and very few horizontal bat shots, on a low-bounce pitch. Instead, his bat arrived to the ball is if on a plumb line, and his judgment of length to the spinners was impeccable. He responded to the situation rather than trying to force it — but controlled it, nonetheless," Atherton added.
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