"Don’t be overly surprised" - Mark Butcher points out reason for Joe Root's struggles with bat in IND vs ENG Tests
Former England cricketer Mark Butcher believes the visitors shouldn't be surprised about Joe Root's lack of runs in the ongoing Test series against India. He feels Root's bowling workload has affected his batting, with the Yorkshire cricketer bowling a significant amount of overs in the first three Tests.
The former England captain has aggregated only 77 runs in six innings in the series thus far but has sent down over 100 overs. With Root finding some success on the previous India tour and the inexperience in England's bowling unit, Stokes has used him as a frontline bowler.
Butcher said that using Root as a genuine all-rounder puts undue pressure on him to produce the expected results with the bat. As quoted by Wisden, he said:
"If you’re asking your best batter to be a genuine all-rounder and bowl as many overs as your frontline spinners, then don’t be overly surprised if you’re not getting the output from him with the bat that you would like. I’ve thought that that thinking, going back in time to when people were talking about Joe Root being the lone spinner for England in more seam-friendly conditions and said that that was nonsense.
"I still think that having him having to do so much work as a frontline spin bowler is not likely to yield the sort of results that you’d expect from him with the bat."
As a part-time off-spinner, Root has claimed a five-wicket haul in India and has bowled decently in the series. The 33-year-old claimed five wickets in England's 28-run victory over India in the first Test in Hyderabad, including four in the first innings.
"I’m not sure what England can do about that with Leach’s injury" - Mark Butcher
Butcher further pointed out that the toss has consistently gone in India's favor in the series. Hence, England needed a more incisive bowler than a holding one. He added:
"I’m not sure what England can do about that with Leach’s injury, but it exposes a little bit the folly of going out there with such a green spin attack anyway to India.
"Rehan Ahmed and [Tom] Hartley have performed really really well, but, given the tosses coming down when you’re bowling first and third rather than second fourth, you need a bit more than guys who are just either making their way in the game or guys who are, as Joe Root is, part-time spin bowlers to hold the fort for you."
"It’s such a fundamental reason why [India] were favourites before it started."
England will need Root to come to the party if they are to win the next two Tests. The hosts currently lead the five-match series 2-1, with the fourth Test to be played in Ranchi to start on February 23.