England’s Joe Root was roundly praised Friday after becoming the first batsman to make 10 Test centuries against India after departing from his team’s attacking strategy and back to more conservative cricket.
Root made an unbeaten 106 as he lifted England from a precarious 112-5 to 302-7 at stumps after they elected to bat first in the fourth Test in Ranchi.
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The former captain returned to form after managing just 77 runs in his previous six innings and weathering criticism for his dismissal off a misjudged reverse scoop in England’s loss in the third Test.
Root put on 113 runs for the sixth wicket with wicketkeeper-batsman Ben Foakes (47) as the two remained uncharacteristically patient, a step away from England’s attacking “Bazball” style.
“A really good day for England and a masterful hundred from England’s best player in Joe Root,” former captain Michael Vaughan told TNT Sports.
“This was the day England played the situation perfectly.”
Fellow ex-captain Nasser Hussain said on Sky Sports that Root’s innings was “an absolute pleasure to watch”.
“You don’t keep a great player down and Joe Root is definitely a great player, arguably one of England’s greatest if not England’s greatest-ever batter,” he said.
“I saw a steely toughness in his eye today, whether he was stung by the criticism he received for some of the shots he has played or whether it’s actually Joe himself wanted to contribute more.”
