TIME TO TAKE A BREAK, JOE!
Root needs to peak in Tests
Joe Root must decide whether he is compromising his test and one- day career by continuing his struggle to keep up with the twenty20 pace after being squeezed out of england’s short- form team.
the england test captain was dropped for the first time in any format in four years when Ben Stokes returned for the final twenty20 international against India in Bristol and finds himself at a crossroads.
Root was said to be ‘livid’ at being left out of england’s side for their seven-wicket defeat on Sunday but he is in danger of spreading himself too thinly by insisting he still belongs in t20 cricket.
Sportsmail revealed in May last year that england wanted Root to sit out twenty20 matches so he could concentrate on leading the test team out of their malaise and fulfil his own huge potential with the bat.
Yet, so determined was Root not to miss out on the shortform game and all the rewards that come with it, he convinced management he still had a role to play, even though england have an embarrassment of big-hitting riches.
Now, after scoring only 61 runs off 54 balls in his last four twenty20 internationals, Root and england need to consider whether his omission is temporary or whether it is in everyone’s best interests for it to become permanent.
Paul Farbrace, who was in charge of england for all four of their twenty20 matches against Australia and India, admitted he was protecting Root when he said earlier in the Vitality series that he would not be dropped. ‘At that time it was important for me to support a player who was under pressure and I would do the same again,’ said Farbrace, who impressed on his latest head coaching audition even though england lost the series to India 2-1 after earlier beating Australia in a one-off game. ‘But he didn’t get any runs in his last couple of games and that makes you vulnerable in any side. Runs are your currency and that’s what you get selected on.
‘I wouldn’t say Ben Stokes is an automatic pick but you will always be tempted to get him back in the side when he’s fit.’
Farbrace insisted Root still has a role as england build towards two twenty20 World Cups in two years in 2020 and 2021 and he will definitely return to the middle order for thursday’s first one-day international against India at trent Bridge.
‘I still think if england are to be successful in twenty20 cricket Joe Root will play a big and magnificent part in that,’ said Farbrace. ‘He is our best batsman and a fantastic player in all forms of the game.’
Root is believed to be insistent he wants to play in next year’s Australian Big Bash and possibly even the early stages of the next Indian Premier League to try to convince england of his worth.
Yet the harsh fact is a test captain who is not making the big centuries his ability demands is in danger of diluting what is a rare and special talent. YORKSHIRE have postponed tomorrow’s Vitality Blast game with Derbyshire at Headingley to avoid a clash with england’s World Cup semi- final against Croatia. the match, which was due to start at 6.30pm, 30 minutes before the football, has been rescheduled for July 30.
Gloucestershire’s fixture against kent at Bristol has been moved forward to 3pm so fans can watch the cricket and then england at the ground afterwards.