Root ready to step up and fill void

JOY: England skipper Root celebrates his century AMID the fanfare of Alastair Cook’s fairy-tale farewell century, the 125 scored by Joe Root was perhaps far more important in terms of England’s future.

Never before has a Test hundred from an England captain been so overshadowed but when the dust settles on this landmark day at the Oval, Root’s second-innings knock during this final Test against India will grow in significance if it proves the launch pad to the Yorkshireman finally fulfilling his potential as a batsman and leader.

Root had gone 29 innings spanning 13 months without reaching three figures. Yet here he was back to his best as his England team completely dominated a shell-shocked India.

No surprise then that the tourists collapsed so spectacularly after being forced to endure 112.3 overs in the field as they were set a world-record 464 to win.

It took just 20 balls for India to slump to 2-3 as James Anderson, drawing level with Glenn McGrath on 563 Test wickets, removed both openers and Stuart Broad followed up with the key wicket of visiting captain Virat Kohli.

After being on the receiving end of such punishment during last winter’s 4-0 Ashes hammering in Australia, this was a sweet feeling for Root and his players, especially as they were demolishing the world’s No1-ranked team. England, of course, had been flayed just like this during their last Test series in India two winters ago, Cook’s last as captain.

Now, with the baton handed over to Root last year, this is a chance for his team to not only complete a 4-1 series rout but kick on and compete for the No1 spot themselves, a position they last held in 2012.

For that to happen, England will need Root to continue evolving along with his team. That will not be easy without Cook. Yet in the absence of such a titan of the dressing room, it will be up to the captain to step up.

Root has for too long failed to fulfil his potential as a batsman, unlike Kohli and Australia’s Steve Smith, who are regarded as the best in the world by some distance.

There had been 10 unconverted half-centuries between Root’s last hundred against West Indies at Edgbaston in August of last year and this innings yesterday.

But his 14th Test hundred felt like a moment where, with Cook calling time on his illustrious career at the end of this match, Root stepped out of the shadows.

England’s next Test assignment in Sri Lanka in November will not be easy. But the confidence gained this summer will be invaluable in the post-Cook world.

They have a captain on the cusp of greatness and fully capable of filling the void left by his predecessor.

He’s yet to fulfil his potential