Humour and resilience cited as Root reaches 100-test mark
Graham Thorpe believes that having a sense of humour has played a major part in Joe Root reaching 100 test appearances.
Hard work and desire play their part, the former England batsman said, but the mentality to deal with the ups and down of form was needed to last at the highest level.
Root will receive his 100th cap when England take to the field in Chennai on Friday for the first of their four tests against India. The 30-year-old will do so with renewed confidence after England’s series win in Sri Lanka, in which he scored 426 runs across the two tests.
It is a far cry from his form with the bat last year, when he failed to register a single hundred in 13 innings, with a highest score of 68 not out against West Indies.
Before the first test in Galle this month he had not made a century since scoring 226 against New Zealand in November 2019.
Thorpe, the England assistant coach who is one of 14 England players to reach 100 test caps, credited Root’s hunger to improve for the turnaround but also a mentality that ensured he did not let his tough run get him down.
‘‘To play 100 tests is no mean feat,’’ he said. ‘‘It is a real achievement because of the longevity of it. You need a good sense of humour to play that amount of cricket because you will experience highs, but . . . you have your lows.
‘‘You have to show a bit of character and resilience; you have to keep adapting; and sometimes you will have to tinker with your technique; and you have to manage all of that. Throughout his career, he has always tried to get better and sometimes that is really hard when you are in the midst of a series — but his work ethic is fantastic and he has also kept his love for the game, which is so important.’’
Thorpe believes that the break over the winter has given Root a chance to work on his game ahead of a big year for English test cricket that culminates in an away Ashes series. ‘‘During the breaks in cricket, Joe has been able to look at his own game.’’
How England’s batsmen play against spin will be a key factor in how successful they are in India.
During Root’s innings of 228 and 186 in Sri Lanka he played the sweep shot better than anyone from either team. ‘‘Knowing when to play it is important,’’ Thorpe said, ‘‘and what type of sweep shot to play depending on the surface.
‘‘The pitches might not turn straight away in India. So, understanding when and how to operate the sweep is important.’’