Joe, making winning a ‘Root’ine
CHENNAI: On what turned out to be a terrific Tuesday for the tourist, England not only recorded an earth-shattering victory in alien conditions but also brought India crashing down to earth.
At the MA Chidambaram Stadium here, the visitor punctured the host’s hopes of saving the first Test on Day Five by registering a noteworthy 227-run win. Through the course of the match that lasted the distance, England was too hot to handle for India, which looked a pale shadow of what it was during its stunning 2-1 success in Australia.
Having got off to the best possible start in the four-game series, England captain and man of the match Joe Root was visibly pleased with the all-round effort. “The win fills us with confidence. We have set a benchmark and have something to work on,” Root, England’s chief contributor with scores of 218 and 40, said at the post-match conference.
“The toss was always going to be important. It was really crucial we exploited that. We made most of the opportunity while batting first. We know the importance of batting long and posting big runs in these conditions. We did that brilliantly.
The guys were exceptional, particularly on Tuesday,” added Root.
While acknowledging the fact that his team has achieved something spectacular away from home, Root stressed that there is room for improvement in the coming games.
“It certainly is a very good victory. But in the grand scheme of things, it is just the start. Although we have got a few experienced players, we are a young side. There are areas where we can get better. We have to keep going. Having said that, I am pleased to take a 1-0 lead in the series.” India was no match for England in the opener, but the 30-year-old Root is wary of the abilities that Virat Kohli and Co possess and expects the wounded host to come back with a bang. “India has got a fantastic record at home. It has some wonderful individual players, who would be hurting right now and wanting to prove a point. If we get an opportunity to be ahead of the game in the second Test, we should grab it with both hands. We have to be ruthless,” said Root, who recently guided England to a 2-0 Test triumph in Sri Lanka.