India vs England 2021: ‘He is our key batsman in the conditions here’ – Stuart Broad hails Joe Root as ‘best English player against spin’
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Stuart Broad and Joe Root
England and India are all set to clash in a series of four Test matches before shifting to the shorter formats. The spinning tracks of the subcontinent are in focus in the build-up to the series. The hosts have flourished in home conditions while England are coming off a great series in similar conditions in Sri Lanka. All in all, the series is set to be a cracker with the World Test Championship final still up for grabs.
Ahead of the series, pacer Stuart Broad shares that Joe Root has developed a lot as a captain. Broad adds that even now Root continues to learn. But he is confident that his skipper will be up to the task in the high profile series.
“The thing about the volume of international cricket these days is that if you get into the national side at a young age, like he did, your only chance to captain comes in the England team itself, meaning you are always learning on the job.”
“Joe’s still learning how to captain in different parts of the world, but he’s developed a lot, his record in Sri Lanka for example is extremely impressive, and he is unbeaten anywhere in his past 10 Test matches,” Broad states in his column on the Daily Mail. “He’s yet to do the job out here in India, but while this will be a different challenge it’s certainly one that he will meet front on. And I’m confident he has the players around him to help him deliver.”
He very rarely gets out to spin
The veteran quick then went on to heap praise on Root for his expertise when it comes to batting against spin bowling. Broad asserts that the Yorkshireman will be key to the visitors’ success in these difficult conditions. Coming into the series, Root is in top form having scored over 400 runs against Sri Lanka which includes a double century.
“There are no doubts that he is our key batsman in the conditions here because he very rarely gets out to spin, and he’s the best English player I’ve seen against it.”
“But that’s the good thing about building a team. When you are looking to score 400 in the first innings across all types of conditions it is important to have players with different strengths in your batting unit,” he writes.
The first of the four Test matches will start on February 5 in Chennai. The second Test is scheduled in Chennai too while the final two Tests will take place at the newly built Motera Stadium.
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Anshuman Mahapatra
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