"There are lots of things I'd do differently if given an opportunity" - Joe Root reflects on Lord's Test
England skipper Joe Root lamented how the team went from a winning position to eventually losing to Team India. The visitors scripted a memorable 151-run victory at Lord's to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Root expressed his frustration about how the Test panned out on Day 5. England had a mammoth target to chase despite dismissing Rishabh Pant right away on the final day. In the post-match presentation following the end of the Test, Root said:
"Unfortunately we couldn't quite manage to see out today which is very frustrating. But there's still a lot of cricket to be played in the series. We went from a very strong position where we looked like we would win the game to losing."
Root added:
"A lot of it comes down to me, I could have done more tactically. More than anything, I just got a few things wrong and I'm gutted with it. There are lots of things I'd do differently if given an opportunity."
The English skipper was criticized by some in the cricketing fraternity about his tactics to tackle the partnership between Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami.
It is important not to panic and stay calm: Joe Root
Root's dismissal right at the start of the final session was one of the pivotal moments from the final day. While England have been on the ropes in both Test matches, Root firmly believes there are a lot of positives that can be taken from this game. He elaborated:
"There are things we can take from this game. We're used to playing five-match series. It is important not to panic and stay calm. We have to learn from our mistakes and keep fighting on. It's great to have the crowd back in sporting arenas in general, sad to not give them the result they wanted."
Root also acknowledged the efforts of Mark Wood, who played despite a shoulder injury, and Moeen Ali, who was a late addition to the squad. Wood scalped five wickets in the game while Ali also made his presence felt with his all-round contribution. Root said:
"His attitude (Wood), the way he goes about things was brilliant and he went on despite suffering an injury in the game. Mo's (Ali) come back well too and watching him play well is enjoyable."