Foakes to the rescue!! (and Root). Oddly, probably the 2 players capable of playing 'proper' cricket'
That was funny. It's normally us. Well done Root, though. And it's true that it was a completely un-Bazball partnership that got us back into the match. Gutted Foakes didn't get a nifty, SR of 37 is actually nice to see. And Root's ton was at less than 3 an over - Cook and Trott would be proud. Trott's career SR was 47.18 {according to Cricinfo} and Root's at 47.1 today. Cook a smidgen under 47. Almost like pwoppa batting still has a place.
The idea that Root needed a new mentality or approach to test cricket was always laughable. Ditto Stokes. Those two are exceptional test batsmen who have always put puressure on bowlers and scored at a fair lick playing their natural game.
Bazball is for the others. Let Root be Root!
I noticed he was playing the spinners on the front foot today, which is unusual for him. I am assuming there was some uneven bounce earlier in the day. That will only get worse so runs on the board is crucial
You can't get inside Root's head. He has a natural rhythm to his batting and when he is asked to do something else it gets disrupted. His 50 over game was hit by the need for everyone to suddenly become a gunslinger.
I think it is also time to convince the likes of Crawley, Duckett, Brook and Pope that they have proved they belong at this level and are capable of adapting their game sometimes. They don't have to set off fireworks every over. Particularly Pope, who is an extremely talented player.
True. But he doesn't need to be encouraged to be more adventurous. His natural rhythm is already perfect for test cricket.
Same with Stokes. You look at his innings at Headingley- people forget he scored 6 off about 80 the balls the previous evening. Like Root, he is good enough and shrewd enough to judge and play the situation.