England have emerged from a summer of upheaval with a perfect 3-0 Test series sweep against Pakistan, and returning captain Joe Root believes the way his side responded to an “unusual” period of change has been particularly encouraging.Root returned to the Test captaincy after Ben Stokes retired from international cricket, while former New Zealand batter Stephen Fleming was appointed as England’s new head coach following Brendon McCullum’s departure after four years.There were also off-field distractions, including fast bowler Brydon Carse being dropped from the England squad following an incident outside a nightclub in Derby.Despite the turbulence, England completed a convincing eight-wicket victory in the third Test at Edgbaston on Saturday to seal a 3-0 series sweep.“There’s been a lot of chaos around this series before a ball was bowled,” Root said at the post-match press conference. “At the start of the series, we wanted 3-0 and we’ve been clinical enough to do that.”
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‘It’s been a very unusual summer’
Root, 35, who is the second-highest run-scorer in Test history, admitted the changes and controversies had made for an unusual summer for England.“It’s been a very unusual summer, hasn’t it? That’s probably a better way of putting it. There’s been a lot of different things happen. We had a resignation mid-series, there has been a few off-field incidents and we’ve got a new coach,” he said.“Whether you call it chaos, whether you call it unusual, whether you call it unsettling, all are fair. But ultimately, the thing that I care about, and that’s most important, is what happens from that. And I think the way that we’ve responded to that has been excellent.”Root added that the side now has greater clarity over its direction.“And the fact that there’s now clarity in what is expected of the group moving forward is quite evident and we build on that now,” he said.
File Pic: Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum (ANI Photo)
Root credits Stokes and McCullum
While back at the helm, Root was quick to acknowledge that England’s success remains rooted in the transformation overseen by Stokes and McCullum.“I don’t think we would have been able to play in the manner that we have without the work that Brendon (McCullum) did as coach and Ben (Stokes) as captain. And I think it’s a continuation and a small evolution of all the stuff that happened before this,” Root said.“So that has to continue forward, and we’ll continue to keep trying to evolve that and improve on what’s been a really good summer here,” he added.England’s ability to handle pressure was tested in the third Test after Pakistan mounted a strong second-innings fightback. Pakistan scored 449 after being dismissed for 133 in the first innings, with Shan Masood making 95, Babar Azam 76 and debutant Razaullah hitting 81.But England chased 130 comfortably, with Root unbeaten on 62 and Jordan Cox making 59 in an unbroken 128-run partnership.“We’ve had things go our own way a little bit throughout the series, and we had a little bit of pushback yesterday, which was, in a strange way, quite a good thing for the group,” Root said.“But for us to come through it and be so convincing in the way that we’ve finished the series off, and throughout the whole three games really, has been really pleasing,” he added.
Praise for Razaullah and Trescothick
Root also singled out Pakistan debutant Razaullah, who struck nine sixes in his 63-ball 81.“He played some wonderful shots, made it quite difficult to set fields to, and struck the ball nicely. I don’t know how he’s not pulled a side really; he’s swinging that hard. But fair play, he played nicely and made it difficult for us,” Root said.The England captain also praised interim coach Marcus Trescothick for guiding the side through the transition.“I think he’s been awesome. It can’t be an easy thing when you know that it’s not a long-term role,” Root said.“For him to be able to sort of juggle between trying to look forward and what that might look like, but also be able to have his influence and his way of seeing the game on this group has been fantastic,” he added.
