England's playing 11 from Joe Root's debut Test vs India in 2012 - where are they now?

Star English batter Joe Root turns an year older as he celebrates his 33rd birthday on Saturday, December 30. The right-hander is considered as one of the best English batters ever is part of the modern-day 'Fab four'.

Root has been a mainstay in the English setup for over a decade now. With his thread of brilliance, consistency, and masterful elegance, he has been a delight to watch as a batter.

Root adapts his game seamlessly across formats, displaying his class in Tests, ODIs, and even T20Is. He has scored 46 international centuries across all formats, showcasing his versatility.

In Tests, he is England's second-highest run-getter with 11,416 runs at an average of 50.29. He has also scored 6,522 runs at an average of 47.61 and at a strike rate of 86.77 across 160 ODI innings.

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Often entrusted with the crucial No. 3 position, Root provides a rock-solid foundation for the English batting, building partnerships and guiding the team through challenging situations.

Root made his international debut during England's tour of India in 2012. It was the fourth Test of the 4-Test series. Hosted at the Vidharbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur, England entered the fourth Test with a 2-1 lead.

Paul Collingwood handed the Test cap to Root, who replaced Samit Patel in the first team. After winning the toss, England opted to bat first. The visitors made 330 in the first innings before India replied with 326/9.

The match ended with a draw as England made 352/4 in their second innings. Interestingly for England, they won the Test series in India after 27 years.

With Joe Root celebrating his 33rd birthday, let's take a look at England's playing XI from his debut match against India. We also look at where those players are now.

Openers: Sir Alastair Cook (C) and Nick Compton

Sir Alastair Cook for England [Getty Images]

England's openers were Sir Alastair Cook and Nick Compton for the series. While Compton had a decent series, Cook was quite amazing throughout the four-match series.

The prolific left-hander scored 562 runs at an immaculate average of 80.29 across eight innings. He averaged over 80 despite a substandard performance in the fourth Test, Root's debut game.

In Nagpur, Cook scored just one in the first innings before toiling for 93 balls for his 13 in the second innings. He even captained England to the series win. Compton, meanwhile, scored 3 and 34 in the Test match.

Cook, who had an illustrious career, recently hung up his boots from first-class cricket in October 2023. While he played his last Test in 2018, he continued to play for Essex.

Compton, on the other side, has now become a professional photographer as a fine artist, being represented by galleries globally and commercially.

Middle-order: Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Matt Prior (wk)

Jonathan Trott acknowledging his century [Getty Images]

England boasted a rock-solid middle-order consisting of Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Joe Root and Matt Prior.

All the right-handers contributed massively to England's success over the years and tackled the Indian spinners quite skilfully.

No. 3 batter Jonathan Trott was the best batter in the match as he scored 44 in the first innings before smashing a gritty 143 off 310 balls in the second innings.

Despite being a classy batter, Trott's mental problems ultimately meant that his career ended abruptly. He is currently the head coach of Afghanistan's men team.

Kevin Pietersen, a swashbuckling dasher, scored a crucial 73 in the first innings. He, however, failed in the second innings and could only make six runs.

Pietersen announced his retirement in 2014 and is now seen in various commentary stints. He also recently represented India Capitals in the Legends League Cricket 2023.

Ian Bell after his century in Nagpur [Getty Images]

Ian Bell also featured in the Test match and scored a brilliant century (116*). Five-time Ashes winner Bell, who retired from playing in 2020, has previously held various coaching positions at Derbyshire, Hobart Hurricanes, England Under-19 and Lions.

Birthday boy Joe Root had a solid debut against India as he scored a plucky 73 in 229 balls. He remained unbeaten at 20 in the second innings as well. While Root is still going strong and holds a crucial role for England team, Matt Prior played his last Test in 2014.

The skilled wicket-keeper scored 57 in the first innings but didn't get a chance to bat in the second. He recently participated in the Legends League Cricket with the Bhilwara Kings franchise.

Bowlers: Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann, James Anderson and Monty Panesar

James Anderson (L) and Monty Panesar (R) [Getty Images]

The bowling group of England consisted of Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann, James Anderson and Monty Panesar. It was heir contribution that resulted in England's 2-1 series win, which remains India's last home Test series defeat.

Tim Bresnan, a genuine all-rounder, played 142 international matches for England. In the Nagpur Test, he failed to score a run and went wicketless in his 26 overs. The 38-year-old also took part in the Legends League Cricket earlier this year.

One of the most prolific spinners in England history, Graeme Swann starred with both bat and ball in the Test as he scored a fifty in the first innings and took three wickets in his 31 overs. Swann regularly features as a commentator in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The only bowler who is still part of international cricket is James Anderson, who has gone onto become one of the all-time greats in red-ball cricket. He has 690 Test wickets to his name and is showing no signs of slowing down. He took a wonderful 4/80 in the match and was awarded the Man of the Match.

Last but not the least is Monty Panesar, who wreaked havoc with his 17 wickets in three games in the series, out of which only one scalp came in Nagpur. The left-arm spinner recently represented New Jersey Legend in the US Masters T10 league.