Root reveals his frustrations with batting

Joe Root sits third on the International Cricket Council’s Test batting rankings, averages a healthy 53.05 and has scored 5465 runs in the format before turning 27.

It’s a record that quite rightly has him rated among the world’s finest players and why alongside Australia’s Steve Smith, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and India’s Virat Kohli he is considered one of the four elite batsmen of this generation.

But right now there is a huge difference between Root and the rest of the big four.

While the other three men are ruthless, the Englishman is profligate. Once they are in, Smith, Williamson and Kohli go on to play the game’s defining innings more often than not. Root does not and that’s a problem for England.

The elegant right-hander went into day five at Adelaide Oval on 67, fully aware that the match was in his hands. If he went big, he would lift England to one of the game’s most remarkable victories.

He fell to Josh Hazlewood without adding a run to his overnight score, bottom edging the quick behind.

It continues a worrying tendency for the England captain who has now fallen between 50 and 100 seven times this year, with just the two centuries to his name.

By comparison, Smith has turned four of six 50+ scores this year into hundreds and Willamson three of his four. Kohli has been even more impressive: five of his six 50+ scores have resulted in tons.

“I’d be lying if said I wasn’t frustrated about it but I feel my game is in good order,” Root said. “I’m not sure why it is. Maybe, I wouldn’t say overconfidence, but maybe I need to rein it in slightly. But if it’s a bad ball I want to hit it for four.”