Root challenges England to become best in the world after series win

Joe Root has backed his England side to reach No. 1 in the world after they secured a 3-0 series whitewash in Sri Lanka.

Spinners Jack Leach and Moeen Ali took four wickets each to help bowl out Sri

Lanka, chasing a daunting 327 for victory, for 284 in the final session on day four in Colombo.

It was their first overseas series sweep in 55 years and now has the captain predicting big things for his side.

“If you look at any side who has got to number one in the world they will have very good players missing out,” Root said. That is where we want to be. We want to keeping pushing and to get to number one we have to work hard accept players will miss out. Having that environment will drive the guys in possession forward.

“We feel we are in a good place. We have a lot of good work to do but it is great to see us grow as a team in this series.”

About the tour, which has seen spin dominate — the England pace pair of James Anderson and Stuart Broad only took one wicket between them all series — Root added: “It has been amazing how much it has turned. The most pleasing thing is how quick we adapted to that. We have done things differently in the past but that has not frightened us. The squad has bought into it.

“The experienced players have taken the extra responsibility.

It’s been exceptional. It’s been a complete team effort.

England’s next Test series will be a three-Test clash against West Indies starting in January.