Joe Root is not anymore the classic Test player with straight-batted shots. He has transformed into a modern-day batter with some of the unorthodox shots. And in the England vs New Zealand World Cup opener on Thursday, the former England captain did just that. He took on Kiwi fast bowler Trent Boult for a six with a scoop which has come to be known as Rootscoop. England are batting first in the ENG vs NZ clash.
Former Sri Lanka batter Tillakaratne Dilshan is credited with inventing the scoop shot that flies over the wicketkeeper to the boundary. And his shot was known as Dilscoop for perfectly executing that shot. Now, there is Rootscoop.
Harbhajan Singh calls Joe Root England’s ‘best player’ at ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023
Root ended up top-scoring for England with 77. But more importantly, he led the counter-attack partnering Jonny Bairstow and then Jos Buttler as England posted 282/9.
Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh lauded Joe Root for his crucial knock in the game. He added that since Root does not commit too early, it helps him position himself better to play a shot. He also called Root England’s key player.
“Joe Root has done a great thing by making runs square off the wicket and playing late. The main reason for this is that he doesn’t commit early. The later you play the spinner, the quicker you can position yourself to know you can play runs behind. This way, you ensure enough time for yourself, because once you commit to playing forward, you can’t go back. And Joe takes his time. He ensures enough time to play the ball late and make more runs. He plays the sweep and reverse sweep very well. He doesn’t believe in driving,” the spin legend said.
“But as Irfan (Pathan) said, he is England’s key player. If England wants to perform well in World Cup 2023, it’s essential for Joe Root to score runs in the middle overs, as he is their best player,” Harbhajan Singh added.
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