"It did cross my mind" - Joe Root jokes that he considered reverse-scooping the ball at 96 in 4th Test vs India
In a tongue-in-cheek reply to a witty question from former India cricketer and pundit Sunil Gavaskar, Joe Root said that he considered playing a flamboyant reverse-scoop when he was batting at 96 in the fourth Test against India in Ranchi.
Before this Test, Root faced a glut of criticism from the English media and pundits for getting out to the reverse-scoop in Rajkot. After he failed to get past 30 in the first four innings, some even declared him unfit for 'BazBall', Brendon McCullum's coaching philosophy.
So when Root got to his 100 on a difficult pitch, Gavaskar said on commentary that he should have tried the shot to rub it in to his critics. After the day's play on Saturday, he proposed the same to the Englishman, who replied:
"It did cross my mind (laughs). But on that wicket it's not a great option. The previous wicket wasn't that bad but unfortunately it kept a bit low. But that's how it goes sometimes. Glad to contribute this week - it's been a lean series for me. I was desperate to do it for the boys. Hope I can carry on for the rest of the series."
Root remained unbeaten at 122 (274) in the innings, where he hardly took any risks. At the end of Day 3, it remained the highest score by any batter in the Test, with India going to Stumps at 219-7.
"I think that's how I try to play every game - play the conditions and the situation of the game. Thankfully it paid off," he added.
The former captain also said that the pitch in Ranchi was only deteriorating further, making batting more and more difficult.
"I have abused his body as well" - Joe Root on Ben Stokes' use of his bowling
Although the pitch had enough help for him, Ben Stokes didn't use Root much with the ball, mostly because his lead spinners Shoaib Bashir and Tom Hartley did a great job while bowling extended spells. Root did bowl one over on the stroke of Stumps, but Stokes brought back Bashir from that end immediately after.
"I think I've abused his (Stokes) body as well when I was captain so he can do what he wants to with me as a bowler," he said.
On Bashir, who took four wickets for the first time in his career, the right-hander said:
"He's brilliant. He's great to have in the group. I've not seen much of him or known much of him before this series but he has great character. He's clearly got a huge amount of ability and skill and a lot to offer especially on a surface like this. It's great to see him coming at the batters again and again and he should take this confidence going forward."
Catch all the live action from Day 3 here.