Joe Root Shares ‘Success Mantra’ vs. Indian Spinners with Reverse Sweep Mastery

Joe Root, England’s former captain and key bowler, has shared his strategy for successfully playing against Indian spinners after England’s positive performance on Day 3 of the Hyderabad Test. Root, who took two crucial wickets in the first session of the day, emphasized the importance of a confident mindset in executing the reverse sweep, a technique that proved effective against India’s spin bowling. By the end of Day 3, England had a lead of 126 runs at 316/6, overcoming the challenges of the initial days.

Discussing his approach to success, Root stated, “The most important thing is you don’t think you are going to miss at all. Have that mindset of committing to the shot and nailing it for four or one, or whatever. Pope did it exceptionally well. It took until 110 to make a small error when he got dropped,” reflecting on the day’s play.

Root praised Ollie Pope’s performance, likening playing spin in India to facing swing and seam in England. He acknowledged that while some balls might beat the bat, it’s an expected part of the game, and Pope’s innings was particularly impressive.

England, at one point struggling at 163/5, saw a potential batting collapse. However, Pope’s outstanding unbeaten 148, along with contributions from Ben Duckett (47) and Ben Foakes (34), steered England into a commanding position. A significant part of their innings was the effective use of various sweep shots, which amassed 79 runs off 46 balls.

Root explained the difficulty lies in gauging which balls to attack, especially when the spin is inconsistent. However, when the spin is predictable, it becomes easier to take calculated risks.

With the game now evenly poised, Ben Stokes and his team aim to extend their lead to a challenging 200-250 runs. England, still with four wickets remaining, seems to have deciphered how to counter India’s bowling attack. With six sessions left to play in Hyderabad and no forecast of bad weather, the outcome of this opening Test match is anticipated.

The fourth day of the match is scheduled to commence at 9:30 AM on Sunday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.