Watch: Joe Root leaves world cricket shocked by batting left-handed in Pakistan Test, then almost survives dismissal

Joe Root decided to shock world cricket by batting left-handed while in the middle of his innings and then almost survives a dismissal.

Former England captain Joe Root is world-class batter, across formats, and is hailed as one of the Big Fours in world cricket. But that is only when he bats right-handed. Is the equally formidable when he bats left-handed? Well, while the world might not have wondered, Root decided to check it out on Day 4 of the first Test between Pakistan and England in Rawalpindi. He decided to shock world cricket by batting left-handed while in the middle of his innings and then almost survives a dismissal.

It happened in the 23rd over of England's second innings, shortly after Root completed his half-century. In the next over, against spinner Zahid Mahmood, Root turned into a left-handed batter. He played the sweep shot towards mid--wicket against the tossed-up delivery in the first ball, but could not find a run. In the second ball, Mahmood dished out a similar and Root executed the same shot, only this time it was air-borne. Naseem Shah stationed near mid-wicket made a full-length dive, but was slow to react and hence only managed to get the fingertips on it. Root survived and eventually went on score 73 off 69 before falling to the same bowler.

Talking about the match, England's debutant Will Jacks took all the three remaining wickets to fall after Pakistan resumed at 499-7 -- but not before the host's tail-enders scored freely on a much-maligned flat Rawalpindi Stadium pitch. The visitors were frustrated by Agha Salman (53) and Zahid Mahmood (17) for almost an hour during their valiant eighth-wicket stand of 57.

England then raced away to 46 for two at lunch on the fourth day. After the break, Root and Harry Brook (87), with their respective fifties, carried England to 264 for seven at Tea, leaving the Ben Stokes-led side to a 342-run lead.