‘Not a great option on that wicket’: Root admits he was tempted to bring up hundred with ‘reverse scoop’
Joe Root made a big ‘reverse scoop’ admission after leaving Sunil Gavaskar disappointed over his hundred in the ongoing fourth Test match.
After facing plenty of criticism in the ongoing five-match series, Joe Root silenced all the noise in style with a sensational century in the fourth Test, in Ranchi. The England veteran slammed an unbeaten knock of 122 off 274 balls, packed with 10 fours, as the visitors posted a first innings total of 353.
On Day, England managed 51 runs more and then India reached 219/7 in 73 overs, at Stumps. Speaking after the final session on Day 2, Root revealed how the pitch conditions made him take an orthodox approach. On Day 1 when he reached his ton, even Sunil Gavaskar jokingly pointed out that he hoped Root would play his infamous reverse scoop to get to his 100.
"But I have got to say, I am a little disappointed. I am a disappointed man because I really wanted him to play a scoop shot to get to his hundred, that reverse scoop. Get to 99, play the reverse scoop, and then play the hundred, and then the crowd goes 'Rooooot'. Particularly the box on our right (England comm box)," Gavaskar said.
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After the final session on Day 2, Root responded to Gavaskar's joke and said that it did cross his mind to play the reverse scoop. "I must admit it did cross my mind (to play the reverse scoop when on 96) but it was not a great option as the wicket was keeping low unlike the previous wicket. I was desperate to get some runs for the guys and I was happy to do that today," he said.
After Day 2, England are in a strong position to level the series. Their two spinners made sure that India were left stuttering in their first innings. It could have been worse for the hosts, if not for the 42-run unbroken stand between Dhruv Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav, a partnership which has made the deficit not get out of hand.
India trail by 134 runs, and will be blaming their batting approach. Rohit Sharma and Co. will also wish that they should have batted more positively. Shoaib Bashir was England's star performer, with 41 wickets in a 31-over spell, and even Tom Hartley contributed.
