Root expects India to pose stiff challenge despite the absence of Kohli and Rohit

With over 13,000 Test runs, Root has the highest tally among active players.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO: Getty Images

For well over a decade, Joe Root and Virat Kohli were spoken of as the best batters in the world. With Kohli now having retired from Test cricket, Root stated that he will “miss those battles” with Kohli.

“I’ve never been in competition with Virat. He is someone I’ve always admired, and thought, ‘Wow, what a player’. I’ll miss those battles we had on the field, but it provides opportunities for other players to try and put their mark on Test cricket,” Root said in a media interaction organised by Sony Sports Network.

The Indian Test team, which takes on England in five Tests, will miss the services of another experienced batter in Rohit Sharma, who too has retired from the longest format. “Cricket is poorer without them being around. They are two Indian legends. They’ve done amazing things for Indian cricket for such a long period of time. It’ll be a slightly different look to the series, but we still expect it to be highly competitive,” Root said.

Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to play all five Tests, but when he does have ball in hand, the pacer presents a big threat, Root said.

“Every time he’s played, he’s had a huge impact. He is clearly going to be a big threat. We have to try and manage as best we can,” the England great said.

Root added that the key lies in playing the Indian attack as a whole, instead of obsessing on Bumrah. “You can’t single out individual bowlers. You have a plan for every challenge and different bowler type. There will be times when he (Bumrah) is going to be hard work, and we’re going to have to work through that. And when we get opportunities to score, we’ve got to take it,” Root said.

The 34-year-old is not a fan of the proposed move to change Tests to a four-day affairs. According to a report in The Guardian, the ICC is ready to sanction four-day Tests in the WTC to help smaller nations to play more games.

“I don’t really understand why you’d need to change it to four days. Coming from England where it rains a lot, you’re basically asking for more draws, which nobody wants. It doesn’t really make sense to me. If you look at some of the greatest Tests of all time, they go right down to the wire,” Root said.

(Watch India tour of England from June 20 onwards live on Sony Sports Ten 1 & Sony Sports Ten 5 channels)