Joe Root’s three innings against India in July offered a clear reminder of why England still value him so highly in one-day cricket. Across the three-match ODI series, he scored 249 runs, was not dismissed once, and finished as the Player of the Series.
The numbers were strong, but the way he made those runs was the larger point. Root moved between roles without fuss. He absorbed pressure in one match, controlled a chase in another, and then attacked at Lord’s when England needed a quicker tempo.
Three innings, three different jobs
The series began in Birmingham, where Root made an unbeaten 76 at a run a ball. England still lost by six wickets, with the innings lacking enough support around him, but Root’s effort kept the home side competitive.
At Cardiff, he played a very different innings. England were chasing 234, and Root’s unbeaten 99 from 133 balls, with nine fours, carried them to a four-wicket win. It was a slower, more patient performance, built on staying at the crease and taking the game deep.
The deciding ODI at Lord’s brought another version of Root. He scored 74 from 48 balls, using reverse-sweeps and reverse-scoops during a more attacking innings. England reached 387 and later held India 27 runs short, taking the series.
By the end, Root had led the run chart for the series without losing his wicket. For a batter who has spent much of his career associated with control and conventional strokeplay, the Lord’s innings also showed how comfortably he can still adapt to modern ODI scoring demands.
McCullum praises Root’s example
England coach Brendon McCullum was direct in his praise after the series. “I mean… some player he is, right?” he said, reflecting on Root’s contribution.
McCullum also pointed to Root’s influence on others in the team. “He’s played a number of match-winning games for us, and he just continues to not just lead with his batting, but also educate other guys,” he said.
His comments after the Lord’s match focused on Root’s ability to judge tempo in the 50-over format. McCullum said the innings gave other players “a nice blueprint” for identifying the pace at which they could operate in one-day cricket compared with Tests or T20s.
That assessment matched what the series had shown. Root’s Birmingham innings was measured, the Cardiff knock was patient and match-shaping, and the Lord’s effort was much sharper in scoring rate. None of the innings looked forced. Each fitted the situation England were in.
A reminder of rare range
The source article compared a batter’s ability across formats with a singer’s wide vocal range. In cricket terms, Root’s strength lies in being able to move between the demands of Tests, ODIs and T20-style scoring patterns when needed.
This series was limited to ODIs, so it did not prove anything new about his record in other formats. It did, however, show the range he can bring inside one format itself. ODI cricket often asks batters to change gears several times in the same innings. Root did that across three matches with unusual calm.
England’s 2-1 result against India came through different kinds of contributions, but Root’s role was the constant. He gave them stability when they were under pressure and speed when they had a platform to attack.
Root did not need these three matches to prove his quality. Still, the series gave a concise example of why England’s coaching staff continue to speak about him as both a run-scorer and a reference point for the rest of the batting group.
Source: The Hindu Cricket.