Joe Root tells England’s senior players to step up amid ODI slump

20.07.2022 - 14:51 msn.com

Joe Root has called on England’s most established one-day players to step up and help new captain Jos Buttler guide the side through its current transition phase.

After several years as the dominant force in white-ball cricket under Eoin Morgan, England have crashed back to earth this month following the Dubliner’s retirement.

His successor, Buttler, oversaw 2-1 defeats to India in the Twenty20 and 50-over formats and his side were well beaten in Tuesday’s first ODI against South Africa.

Where Morgan lost only two home series in one-day cricket during his seven years at the helm, Buttler is facing the prospect of losing two in a fortnight unless his side can bounce back at Old Trafford on Friday and Headingley on Sunday.

cricket Sporting Joe Root Eoin Morgan Jonny Bairstow Jos Buttler Jason Roy South Africa India county Morgan

MANCHESTER :South Africa all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius took four wickets to help bowl England out for 201 in 28.1 overs after putting them into bat in the rain-restricted second one-day international at Old Trafford on Friday.

Watch: Joe Root Delivers Emotional Farewell Speech For Ben Stokes After Final ODI Appearance

England Test captain Ben Stokes played his last ODI earlier this week in front of his home crowd in Durham against South Africa. However, his final ODI appearance didn't go as planned with South Africa took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Stokes conceded 44 runs in five overs and failed to pick up a wicket. He couldn't do much with the bat either, and got out while trying to play a reverse sweep. After Stokes played his last ODI, star batter Joe Root delivered an emotional farewell speech for his teammate and friend in the team's dressing room at the Riverside Stadium.

Tubthumper Joe Root urges England’s ODI stalwarts to show leadership qualities

Joe Root has called on England’s most established one-day players to step up and help new captain Jos Buttler guide the side through its current transition phase.

Watch: Batter's Epic Fail As He Attempts Joe Root-esque Reverse-Sweep

Joe Root is one of the classiest batters going around these days. Apart from being one of the most prolific with the bat in Tests, he also displays exemplary technique and watching him at the crease is almost poetry in motion. However, as good as he is in displaying classical techniques, he is just as adept at innovating and playing reverse-sweeps off spinners and reverse-scoops off pacers, as he displayed during England's recent Test wins over New Zealand and India.