England’s Joe Root. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Joe Root’s impressive form since resigning as England captain will be put to test in the upcoming series against India and Australia when his skills against pacers and spinners will be “scrutinised”, reckons Australian great Ian Chappell.

With 10 centuries in just 54 innings over the past two and a half years, Root has gone past Sir Alastair Cook as England’s highest Test run-scorer.

“Root’s phenomenal run-making will again be tested when first he faces India at home and then Australia away. In those two series, Root will be facing the best attacks in Test cricket, and his technique against both pace and spin will again be fully scrutinised,” the 81-year-old wrote in his column for ESPNCricinfo.

India are scheduled to tour England for a four-match Test series next summer and the Three Lions will face the challenge to regain the Ashes later next year in Australia.

“Those are difficult challenges that Root and England will face in the future. Currently, they’re desperately involved in a bid to win after Pakistan levelled their three-game series with a spin-revolution victory against a clueless England.”

The Ben Stokes-led side is currently under the pump after Pakistan levelled the three-match series 1-1. The third Test begins on October 24.

“As the most technically gifted, Root will have the task of convincing his fellow team-mates that numerous versions of the sweep shot aren’t the ideal way to combat good spinners. Despite Root’s proven talent, that will be a very difficult task,” he added.

Since his remarkable 73 on debut Test versus England, Root has emerged as the England batting mainstay but he has yet to score a century in Australia.

Chappell feels his vulnerability to being caught behind suggests a need to reassess his approach to extra bounce on Australian pitches.

“Root was born to make runs. He’s a joy to watch, as he balances a solid technique with the desire to score at every opportunity,” Chappell wrote “One of the few anomalies in Root’s record is his failure to score a Test century in Australia despite having played 27 innings there. His last chance to rectify that statistic will likely come in 2025-26, when – barring injury or retirement – he will play another Ashes series.

“It’s not as though Root has performed poorly in Australia, as his average of around 35 is respectable. However, the lack of a century despite making nine scores in excess of 50 is most unlike Root.

“In Australia, the four main bowlers have dismissed Root a number of times and this could be pointed to as a weakness. Nevertheless there’s an easy answer: if you’re going to be dismissed, it’s preferable to get out to a good bowler.

“The more worrying Root statistic in Australia is the number of times he’s been caught behind. Keepers have had a bonanza as ten times they’ve clasped Root’s edges in just 27 innings.

“While he could counter with “you’ve got to be good enough to nick ’em”, it does suggest he needs to re-assess the extra bounce Australian pitches provide,” Chappell added.

England’s Joe Root (left) and teammate Harry Brook. File
| Photo Credit: Ap

Seven players, including Harry Brook, were among 29 England cricketers who were awarded central contracts by the ECB for the first time, while premier all-rounder and Test captain Ben Stokes was given a one-year contract on Tuesday.

The deal pre-dated from October 1 this year also includes a first-of-its-kind multi-year contracts, which were offered to 18 players including Brook, Joe Root and recuperating pacer Jofra Archer.

Apart from Brook, Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue received the contract for the first time.

Pacer Carse on Monday was named as a replacement for injured Reece Topley in England’s squad for the on-going World Cup.

Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, Rob Key, said: “We are rewarding those players who we expect to make a significant impact over the coming years playing for England.

They will play a pivotal role in England’s efforts over the next few years.”

England’s new multi-year central contracts:

Three-year contract: Joe Root, Mark Wood, Harry Brook.

Two-year contract: Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jonathan Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Liam Livingstone, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.

One-year contract: Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Ollie Robinson, Reece Topley.

Developmental contract: Matthew Fisher, Saqib Mahmood, John Turner.

The return of the talismanic Ben Stokes augurs well for champion England at the ICC World Cup set to begin in India next in October.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

England crossed the final hurdle at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 against New Zealand in one of the most exciting cricket matches in history.

A few of England’s big performers from that title-winning campaign — Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Mark Wood and Adil Rashid — feature in this edition, and will look to recreate the magic. Fast bowler Jofra Archer, the side’s highest-wicket taker in 2019, misses out due to injury.

The omission of Jason Roy has taken up headlines in the build up to the World Cup. Roy, initially slotted to open the batting with Jonny Bairstow, was axed from the final squad to accommodate the form pair of Dawid Malan and Harry Brook. Roy’s case was weakened when a back spasm ruled him out of the ODIs against New Zealand earlier this month.

Bold call on Brook

Malan is likely to take on the new ball with Bairstow, while the malleable Brook will come into the middle-order. With only six ODIs under his belt, Brook may not have experience on his side, but his huge returns in Test cricket and in the Hundred prompted this bold call from the selectors.

All-rounder Ben Stokes, the ‘player-of-the-match’ in the 2019 final, came out of a hiatus to play in this mega event. Stokes had retired from ODIs in July 2022 to stay fit for Tests, but the decision was reversed when he was named in the squad to take on New Zealand. Stokes’ tremendous value was underlined when he smashed a 124-ball 182 in the third ODI.

There are concerns surrounding Root’s poor form. The batter was included in the eleven in the first ODI against Ireland last week, but his wish to get into last-minute rhythm was denied when the outing was washed out. He will now step out to bat at the World Cup hoping that class overrides form.

On paper, England boasts of a strong bowling line-up, led by pacers Mark Wood and Chris Woakes, and leg-spinner Adil Rashid. Rashid’s recent fitness issues, and Wood’s long layoff, however, has called into question their readiness to perform on the biggest stage.

In Sam Curran, Reece Topley and David Willey — all left-arm seamers — reliable back-up is at hand.

The squad: Jos Buttler (Capt.), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, and Chris Woakes.