Root sure he’ll get off on the right foot
JOE Root insists he has confidence in the side England have named for the first Test at Edgbaston and believes Jofra Archer will have a part to play in the series.
The Barbados-born paceman received his maiden call-up for the series opener following his crucial role in England’s World Cup win but must wait for his chance.
He joins all-rounder Sam Curran and fellow quick Olly Stone in missing out, with senior seamers James Anderson and Stuart Broad joined by Chris Woakes in the XI.
The top seven had already been settled, with the news that captain Root had asked for a return to the problematic No.3 slot also removing any questions over the batting order.
That means the decision to delay Archer’s introduction to the red-ball format will garner most of the attention. The side injury he picked up in the World Cup was originally expected to keep him sidelined for at least a couple of weeks, but he made a sooner-than-expected return for Sussex last week.
“I wouldn’t have named it if I wasn’t confident. We are very excited as a group,” Root said of the line-up.
“We have a good record here as a team. It’s very important that we are very focused and very clear on how we want to approach this series and that first day in particular. We feel confident this group of players is more than capable of winning this Test match.
“Jofra is coming back from quite a serious injury. We looked at conditions and made a decision on what we thought would best take 20 wickets here. It also gives him time to get absolutely ready and fit to make sure he has his workloads up and ready to go for later in the series if he needs to make an impact. [His fitness] will be monitored throughout the week. It’s important that he’s ready to go to offer something different.”
In the end, England have treated Archer with caution, retaining the Broad and Woakes axis which skittled Ireland for just 38 in the previous Test and adding in record wicket-taker Anderson, who turned 37 on Tuesday.
Root’s decision to move up to No.3 in the order means Joe Denly drops to No.4, with Jason Roy and Rory Burns set to open. It is a top order, Root aside, that is inexperienced at Test level and one which was blown away by Ireland last week
“It’s important to spread the experience out and it gives me an opportunity to lead from the front as well,” Root said. “I’m not [concerned about the top order]. I think it’s a very exciting top order. Jason (Roy), I want him to go out and play in his own way and his own manner.
“He has the ability to go out and put any bowler under pressure at any given time. That’s very exciting.”
It’s important to spread the experience out and it gives me an opportunity to lead from the front as well