CRHUSHING DEFEAT
Root takes the blame for his bad tactics as Kohli revels in aggro
JOE ROOT took the blame for getting his tactics all wrong as England blew the chance of a Test victory against India at Lord’s yesterday.
The England skipper was shellshocked at the end of a 151-run defeat.
It came on a final day when there were plenty of words exchanged between players such as Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Ollie Robinson and James Anderson. The umpires had to step in
several times as things became heated between deliveries.
Much of it stems from how Indian skipper Virat Kohli goes about things, stirring everyone up from his own team, to the opposition, to the fans. It included him putting his finger to his lips and cupping his ear.
One ‘fan’ even tried to approach him on the field just after tea before being led
off. England, set 272 to win, were bowled out for 120 after India’s unbroken 89-run stand for the ninth wicket turned the game their way.
Root (top) said: “It is a bitter pill to swallow. And a lot of it falls on my shoulders.
“I might have gone about things slightly differently if I had my chance again.
“That partnership was the pivotal moment of the game, no doubt about it. I need to look at my field placings.
“I didn’t deal with it well enough as captain and it put us in a difficult position so a lot of it falls on my shoulders. I need to look at things logically and not get sucked into a sideshow, look at the cricket and work out how best to take those last few wickets.” Root added: “Virat has got his style of doing things which is in contrast to the way I play my cricket.
“Fair play to Virat and his team. They have jumped on something emotionally to give them an edge.
“India have been a good side for a long time and we are looking to get to where they are. We will come back at Headingley to get back in the series.”