England is reeling from Joe Root’s part-time involvement against dominating India

In the series opener against India, England opted for three specialist spinners, but it was their handling of part-time bowler Joe Root that caught the attention on the second day of play. England captain Ben Stokes had initially planned to use Root, an off-spinner, to counter India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, given the challenge left-handed batters face against off-spin.

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However, in Thursday’s final session, Root played the role of the designated ball-shiner while Jaiswal took on England’s inexperienced spin attack, particularly targeting debutant Tom Hartley. Former India spinner Anil Kumble and ex-England captain Kevin Pietersen criticized the decision, suggesting that England missed an opportunity by not utilizing Root’s off-spin earlier.

England corrected their approach on the second day, starting with Root, and it paid off as he dismissed Jaiswal with his fourth delivery. Despite the early success, England missed a chance for Root to take more wickets, with wicketkeeper Ben Foakes dropping a tough catch from KL Rahul and Stokes losing sight of a miscued shot from Shubman Gill.

Although Root had created pressure on the Indian batters, he was surprisingly removed from the bowling attack after a tidy opening spell. He was later brought back for a couple of overs before lunch, but by then, Rahul and Shreyas Iyer were well-set.

For many observers, Root’s sudden withdrawal from the bowling attack was as perplexing as his delayed introduction. The former England captain eventually dismissed Srikar Bharat and finished with bowling figures of 2-77.

England’s bowling coach, Jeetan Patel, highlighted the valuable attribute of Joe Root, stating, “The advantage of having Joe Root is his understanding of how to generate opportunities. Joe possesses the ability to strategize on how to take wickets and alter the course of a game.”

Patel continued, “What we witnessed today is quintessential Joe Root – a player who seizes opportunities. Although he may concede boundaries, that is characteristic of Joe Root’s bowling style. He delivers attacking deliveries, poses challenging questions to the batsmen, and, in my opinion, he was outstanding today.”