Joe Root became England’s all-time highest Test run-scorer on Thursday as he eclipsed Sir Alastair Cook’s tally of 12,472 in the first Test against Pakistan. And former Three Lions captain Michael Vaughan has insisted the only bowler Root hates facing is India’s Jasprit Bumrah.
Root now trails only India’s Sachin Tendulkar, South Africa’s Jacques Kallis, Australia’s Ricky Ponting, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and India’s Rahul Dravid in the all-time Test century standings.
The 33-year-old hit a 35th Test century in Multan as he took to the field for the 147th Test of his illustrious career. He was eventually dismissed for 262 as he and Harry Brook produced 454 runs between them, a record partnership score for an England batting duo.
“The only bowler he does not quite line up is Jasprit Bumrah, I reckon, but who does?” Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph.
“To be as good as he is you have to pick up the ball so quickly out of the hand, which gives him that extra bit of time. He will already be working on that and thinking about how to manage him next summer.”
Root is likely to come face-to-face with Bumrah next summer when India tour England for a five-match Test series. And Vaughan added: “There is no obvious way to get him out, against pace or spin. At the moment, bowlers are waiting for him to make a mistake.”
Root is often touted as England’s greatest ever batter thanks to his efforts at the crease. And England batting coach Marcus Trescothick told Sky Sports after the player’s display against Pakistan: “All the throws I have given have finally paid off. It is amazing.
“We are lucky enough to sit and watch history being made. Incredible. The way he goes about it, the work he puts in and continues to stride for greatest. He will continue to be superb for a number of years.
“I don’t know where it can end. We will hopefully see more and more in next few years. Seventeen hundreds in the last two-and-a-half years. He continues to produce the results home and away in spin and seaming conditions.”
And Trescothick added: “I don’t know you if can score that volume of runs and have one thing that defines you.
“There are multiple things from his ability to read length against spin, his ability to bat long periods of time in conditions like today, to go to Australia and play against the ball bouncing more than everywhere else, his ability to adapt.
“There are so many things that combine to make him the great player he is.”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk