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'We've discovered a way of doing that': Joe Root backs his team for becoming 'more consistent' away from home
In a conversation with The Hindu, Root admitted that his team has struggled to bowl the opponents in the past but now they are way better in foreign conditions.
England captain Joe Root on Monday said that his team has discovered the way of taking 20 wickets in a Test match away from home. He also stressed on the fact the English batting line-up has turned more consistent as they have gone past the 400-run mark in the 12-odd games.
In a conversation with The Hindu, Root admitted that his team has struggled to bowl the opponents in the past but now they are way better in foreign conditions.
“In the past, we have struggled to take 20 wickets, especially away from home. But I think we've discovered a way of doing that (take 20 wickets). We've also become more consistent and we make big first-innings runs. We have now gone six or seven times past the 400 mark in the last 12 or so Tests, which is a great achievement and something that we need to keep doing if we're going to seriously compete in away conditions,” Root told The Hindu.
Root also acknowledged his team members for ‘willing to learn’ from the opponents and ‘get better’ with time.
“We've got a very ambitious group of players who are willing to learn and want to get better all the time. We are open to new thinking and learning from other sides and players who have had success in similar conditions.
As England gear up to lock horns with India in Chennai on Friday, it’s going to be the 100th Test match for Root who made his debut in Nagpur in 2012.
Speaking about the achievement, he said, “It's great to come full circle and be back here [in India]. The way it started on that first tour in 2012, it was a real eye-opener for me, learning to play spin, playing with some great players and strong opposition. To come back to Chennai and play my 100th Test is very special. I can’t wait.”
On Monday, all the members of the English and Indian cricket team returned three negative tests for COVID-19 during their six-day quarantine, clearing the way for their first full-strength net sessions three days before the opening Test.
“All PCR tests from yesterday's test have returned negative results. The England party are now out of quarantine and will train for the first time as a full group at the stadium tomorrow afternoon at 2 pm-5 pm (IST),” read an update from the ECB spokesperson.
