Superb Joe Root shone across the ODI series as England claimed a crucial win over India.
With the top eight teams automatically qualifying for the tournament, England currently sit 8th. The ODI World Cup is set to take place in South Africa in fifteen months.
Joe Root shows class with the bat
Much has been said about the class and elegance of Joe Root over the years, but the Englishman continues to show why he is highly rated by his teammates and fans across the world.
Despite England’s defeat in the first ODI game, Joe Root scored 76* as he guided England to 258. Ultimately, that wasn’t enough, as India chased the target with 6 wickets remaining.
However, in the second ODI, Joe Root showed all his experience and brilliance as he scored a magnificent 99* as England bounced back. He was deserving of a hundred, but watched on as Gus Atkinson scored the winning runs. After the game, the Yorkshireman stated that the team comes first and foremost over any personal milestones.
Additionally, in the final game of the series, Root showed that he can accelerate at the backend of an innings. Over the years, there has been criticism that the Englishman struggles in the final ten overs and can’t clear the boundary. However, Joe Root showcased his entire set of skills as he took down the Indian bowlers and scored 74 runs off 48 balls.
Root finished the series as the highest run-scorer with 249 runs. On top of this, Root set the record for scoring the most runs in a bilateral ODI series without being dismissed once.
Can England win the ODI World Cup in South Africa?
Just six years on from Eoin Morgan leading England to ODI World Cup glory in 2019, they now find themselves down in eighth place in the qualification standings, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing the side. England have plenty of work to do ahead of next year’s ODI World Cup in South Africa, with several concerns remaining over the balance of the squad.
Firstly, England have opted to open with Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett, shifting away from Jamie Smith. Additionally, England tend to operate with two spinners in Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid, alongside the part-time spin of Bethell and Will Jacks. However, with the World Cup in South Africa and the pitches favouring express fast bowlers, England need to select bowlers suited to the surfaces they are expected to face.
Despite this, the middle order seems to be the most settled, with Joe Root at three, Harry Brook at four, and Jos Buttler at five, all capable of taking the game away from the opposition quickly. Furthermore, the experience of Rashid will be vital for England when hunting down wickets, and with Jofra Archer in the team, England shouldn’t be counted out yet.
