London — Joe Root has cautioned England’s opponents that they are not a “one-trick pony” after the side won their sixth Test in seven matches with their new hyperaggressive style of play.
Under their new leadership duo of head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, England’s fortunes in red-ball cricket have shifted dramatically.
Monday at the Oval, the host team clinched a 2-1 series victory against South Africa to add to their 3-0 triumph against New Zealand and victory in the single postponed match against India.
It stands in stark contrast to their abysmal record during the last months of Root’s captaincy, which culminated in April with a winless streak of 17 games.
The success under Stokes and McCullum has been ascribed to unshakeable optimism, which has resulted in some hasty dismissals, but Root believes that England’s performances became more nuanced as the season continued.
He stated, “We’re not a one-trick pony.” “There will always be phases in Test cricket that must be managed carefully and intelligently.
“We haven’t always gotten it perfect this summer, but we’ve gotten it right more often than not, which is why we’re sitting here with six victories out of seven (Tests).
The progress we’ve achieved in such a short period of time has been a breath of fresh air, despite the fact that we’re not yet complete.
England chased down totals of 275 or more in the fourth innings of each of the three Tests against New Zealand, and then set a new record against India by completing their goal of 378 with relative ease.
Former captain Root, who averaged 68 with an outstanding strike-rate throughout the seven matches, compares the team’s growth under Stokes to England’s white-ball cricket metamorphosis under captain captain Eoin Morgan.
This culminated in their 2019 World Cup victory in the 50-over format.
Root stated, “I’ve never had more joy playing professional cricket.” “Honestly, it’s difficult to put into words. You show up every day eager to see what will happen; it’s the unknown.
“It’s definitely an unusual sensation to have played 120 or so games and still feel that way every day. It’s a fantastic location to be.
“Keeps you hungry and motivated, and you may feed off the energy of those who share your outlook.”