Can the Joe Root reverse ramp be saved? Zak Crawley disagrees, as the England team celebrates an undefeated century from their top batter, which may be crucial in the series against India.

In order to tie the score at 2-2 and create a final match in Dharamsala, day one saw Root choose not to take a particular shot that had caused controversy in Rajkot last week. However, what may have been even more crucial was his adjustment to the unpredictable bounce of the pitch. The 32-year-old’s impressive 106 not out helped turn a score of 112 for five at lunch into 302 for seven by the end of the day’s play.

Crawley remarked that if the pitch had been more accurate, Root would have still made those shots. Despite this, Crawley himself played a contrasting 42-ball 42 at the top of the order. He predicted that in Dharamsala, on a flatter wicket, Root would likely do a reverse ramp. This is just Joe’s style; he stays focused and doesn’t overthink while batting.

“He delivered a remarkable performance. He is undoubtedly the standout member of our team, with exceptional skills. He has truly proven himself as our top player, rising to the occasion when we needed him most. His ability to score, just as he has done for countless years, solidifies his position as the greatest player in our team’s history.”

Crawley’s compliment held statistical value, as Root’s 91st Test score above 50 exceeded Alastair Cook’s record for England. Additionally, it was his 10th Test century against India, surpassing Australia’s Steve Smith.

Display the image in full screen mode.

According to Crawley, it was crucial to make “counterpunches” while the ball was most active in the morning session. He demonstrated this with a bold 18-run over against Mohammed Siraj before England shifted to a more cautious approach against the spinning ball.

“I didn’t play the same way throughout the entire innings, it was only because of the difficult conditions,” stated Crawley. “I was worried about getting out, but we had to fight back and Jonny Bairstow (38) and I did that effectively.”

“Afterwards, the situation improved, but handling the spin was still challenging for the middle-order players. They were able to adapt and perform exceptionally well. It’s possible that the pitch will favor the new ball when we bowl, but I believe that spin will become increasingly difficult.”

England have selected Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir, confident that finger spin will be their strongest weapon, while Rehan Ahmed has been left out for strategic purposes. The wrist-spinner has had to leave the tour due to a family emergency and will not be able to join for the final match.

Source: theguardian.com