“The best is still to come,” says Joe Root as England Test captain prepares for battles ahead
Shedding light on his evolution as a player, England Test captain Joe Root believes that his best is yet to come.
The 30-year-old Yorkshireman also expressed disappointment at the manner in which England ended its series in India earlier in the year. That said, he believes the team have come a long way in the longest format of the game.
In an interview with Sportsmail, Joe Root said:
“I feel I've grown a lot in the past year or so, and now have a good handle on things. I was obviously disappointed with the way India finished, but I do feel we're making big strides as a Test group and we're coming into an exciting phase of games which could really see us flourish."
Root added:
“I certainly feel the best is still to come. I want to have more series like the start of this winter, and produce those big hundreds which help you win the series. I'm hungry to make the next phase of my career the peak."
Joe Root hopes for a “bumper year”
Joe Root averages just over 49 from 103 Tests, and has scored more runs than any Englishman not named Alastair Cook or Graham Gooch. The right-handed batsman will be keen to carry on that good run against New Zealand and the formidable Indian team at home in the coming months. The litmus test, of course, will come in the form of the Ashes in December.
"I've worked very hard on a few aspects of my game, the mental side as well as technical. I feel a lot more in control, and like I'm playing the ball much later. That, for me, is the art of batting – if you can keep your head and hands as close together as possible, you give yourself a better chance. Hopefully I can have a bumper year."
Joe Root, placed fourth in the ICC rankings for Test batsmen, cemented his spot with scores of 228, 186, and 218 in successive Tests in Sri Lanka and India earlier this year.
When asked about being a part of the “Fab Four” – comprising Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, and himself – Root said each player had their own journey.
“I think that's more for cricket lovers than the four lads who are talked about. It's really nice to be in the same conversation as those three, because they're wonderful players. But it's about producing, not about what's said about you.”
England squad vs New Zealand
Joe Root (C), James Anderson, Sam Billings, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Mark Wood