Pressure mounts on Root as wait for another Test ton gets extended

BIRMINGHAM:England skipper Joe Root was again denied a century, this time run out for 80 by a brilliant direct hit by Virat Kohli to pull back the home team’s surge in the final session of Day 1 in the opening Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday.

Root was easing towards his 14th century, but Kohli, with the sun in his eyes, threw down at the non-striker’s end to catch his counterpart well short as he tried a risky second run after Jonny Bairstow had played R Ashwin to midwicket.

Root is regarded among the finest batsmen of his generation, rubbing shoulders with Kohli, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson for the tag as the world’s best batsman.

The England skipper is easily the most classical among the four, but he has worn the leadership he bequeathed from Alastair Cook, who stepped down after the disastrous India tour in 2016, as some kind of a millstone.

Cook himself acknowledged that England, the No 1 Test team in 2011 and now fifth in the pecking order led by India, were far from consistent, in terms of performances and personnel to aspire to be the top side.

Root has been forced to carry that weight on his shoulders. England’s No 4 has sacrificed his favourite spot and moved up to No 3 in a desperate search for stability in the squad as pressure mounts due to lack of dominance even at home.

The 27-year-old has had to fend off criticism over backing Yorkshire teammate and legspinner Adil Rashid, who has faced criticism for rejecting a red-ball contract and then grabbing the spin vacancy in the national squad.

Root was also in media glare going into the contest against India after Jos Buttler, also elevated to Test ranks for his limited-overs exploits, was named vice-captain, a position held by James Anderson due to the court case Ben Stokes is fighting.

After his 136 against West Indies at Edgbaston in August, 2017, Root has been frustrated by not being able to convert any of the 11 fifties he has struck since.