Expressing concern over Joe Root’s diminishing performance against spin in the IND vs ENG Test and his challenging match-up against Indian speedster Jasprit Bumrah, former England captain Michael Vaughan highlighted the need for a return to Root’s traditional batting style. Vaughan’s observations stemmed from Root’s alarming eight dismissals by Bumrah in Tests, indicating a struggle against both pace and spin.
Despite recent criticism over his preference for Root to bat conventionally, Vaughan emphasized the stark drop in Root’s average against spin, from 80.5 to 34.5 under the management of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. Vaughan cited statistics revealing Root’s increased vulnerability to spin under the new aggressive batting approach, with a dismissal once every 42 balls compared to once every 132 balls previously.
“The trouble in India is that Jasprit Bumrah seems to have his (Root) number, having dismissed him eight times in Tests. That means that he’s got a problem with the only seamer who will bowl much to him, and with his method against spin,” he wrote in his column for the Telegraph.
Recognizing Root’s pivotal role in the England batting lineup, Vaughan advocated for a return to his former prowess against spin, urging him to anchor the middle order with lengthy, big-scoring innings. Vaughan likened Root to a classic car amidst a team of high-performance vehicles, emphasizing the importance of his stability and endurance.
“That means going back to what made him such a brilliant player against spin. They need their rock at No 4 to peel off a couple of big hundreds, to bat all day. He will score at a good lick that way anyway. Root is the anomaly in this team for that reason. He’s their beautiful classic car, surrounded by souped-up sports cars,” Vaughan elaborated.
With Root’s recent struggles evident in the ongoing Test series, Vaughan speculated on whether the former captain would adjust his approach for the upcoming Test in Rajkot, scheduled for Thursday, February 15.
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