Joe Root’s masterclass puts England in strong position during 2nd ODI chase
England’s pursuit of victory
England continued their chase against India in the 2nd ODI, with Joe Root playing a pivotal role. The team reached 191 for 5 after 39 overs, requiring 43 runs from 66 balls. Root’s performance has been described as outstanding, characterized by calmness, composure, and complete control over the game. India, on the other hand, was in urgent need of wickets to regain momentum in the contest.
Earlier in the innings, Prasidh Krishna returned to the attack, bowling from over the wicket. Root and Will Jacks maintained a strategic approach, securing singles and keeping the scoreboard active. Two runs were added in one over, moving England to 174 for 5 after 37 overs. Axar Patel continued his spell, but Root consistently found ways to score. The batters rotated the strike effectively, with Root showcasing his skill by hitting a boundary, ensuring England remained comfortably ahead in their chase. This was followed by additional runs, allowing England to build momentum.
Eight runs came from one over, bringing England’s total to 182 for 5 after 38 overs. As the match progressed, Prasidh Krishna continued to bowl, and Will Jacks began to accelerate his scoring. Jacks punched a shot off the back foot for two runs before defending several deliveries. He then broke through with his first boundary of the match, gaining confidence and aiming to conclude the chase swiftly. The pair continued to rotate the strike, closing out another productive over, which yielded nine runs and propelled England to 191 for 5 after 39 overs.
Key partnerships and bowling efforts
The partnership between Joe Root and Will Jacks proved crucial for England. However, this 72-run resilient partnership was eventually broken by Gurnoor Brar. Brar’s short ball tactic was effective, as Jacks anticipated a short delivery and backed away towards the leg side. He attempted to hit it through the off side with a horizontal bat but failed to time the shot, spooning it directly to Virat Kohli at cover, who completed the catch. Root appeared disappointed with Jacks’ shot selection, while Jacks himself expressed frustration. Following this wicket, England were 6 down, still needing 37 more runs for victory.
Before his dismissal, Jacks had managed to hit a boundary off Brar. Brar delivered a short ball on middle stump, which Jacks anticipated, backing away early to pull it aerially towards deep square leg. The sub fielder, Prince Yadav, struggled with the sun and ran in from the ropes, but the ball dropped short of him, bouncing past and trickling into the boundary. Brar also bowled a short delivery on middle, which Will ducked under. Root, meanwhile, pulled a bumper wide of backward square leg for a single. Will also steered a shorter delivery off stump to deep third for a single. Earlier, a delivery from Brar tailed back in on a good length, on off and middle, which Jacks dealt with, getting an inside edge onto his pads that dribbled wide of the leg stump.
Jasprit Bumrah was brought back into the attack, replacing Prasidh Krishna, after England had scored 17 runs in the preceding two overs. Bumrah’s bowling figures for his spell were 10-0-45-1. He bowled a slower delivery outside off on a length, which Root reached out to and worked to cover off the front foot. Bumrah also delivered a nasty ball that slammed the pitch hard on the bodyline, surprising Gus Atkinson, who took his eyes off the ball while attempting a pull shot. The ball grazed the top of his helmet and lobbed behind to deep third for a leg bye. A concussion check was subsequently performed, and the physio requested a new helmet for Gus Atkinson.
Closing stages of the innings
In the later stages, Bumrah bowled an overpitched delivery on the stumps, which Gus Atkinson carved out to mid-on. Atkinson then hit a six off a short ball from Bumrah, which was angled at the leg stump line. The extra bounce surprised Atkinson, who top-edged it over the ropes behind deep fine leg. This shot reduced the runs needed to just 13. Bumrah also delivered a deceptive slower full toss that dipped on the batter, but Atkinson blocked it back to the bowler. Root steered a fractionally full delivery outside off behind point for a single. Bumrah also bowled a full and straight delivery around off, which Root pushed into the cover-point region for a single, moving to 91 runs.
England reached 200 runs when Root tucked a length delivery coming into him to mid-wicket for a quick single, needing 34 runs from 56 balls. Atkinson clipped a yorker at his toes to deep fine leg for a single. Bumrah also bowled a back-of-a-length delivery on the stumps, which Atkinson defended. Root gently knocked a fuller delivery on middle with a straight bat to mid-on for a single. Atkinson also chipped a fuller delivery around off and middle in the air, which landed safely over the cover region for a single.
Gurnoor Brar bowled a sharp bumper at shoulder height, which Gus Atkinson fended down the pitch. This over proved significant for England, yielding 12 runs. Atkinson then hit a boundary off a short-of-a-good-length delivery outside off, punching it through covers, reducing England’s requirement to 20 runs. Brar also bowled a wide delivery short and down the leg stump. Root drove a very full delivery outside off to sweeper cover for a single. Brar then bowled a poor short delivery down leg, which Root dispatched for a boundary, moving to 96 runs and bringing the target down to 26 runs. Atkinson pulled a short delivery on middle and leg to the left of the square leg fielder for a single. Root tucked a slightly full delivery on the pads to deep backward square leg for a run.
Earlier, Axar Patel bowled a slower, fuller delivery on middle, which Will worked to long off for a single. He also bowled a flat and short delivery on middle, which Jacks clipped to mid-wicket. Root turned an angled delivery on middle to wide of mid-wicket for one. Root then hit a boundary off a fractionally short delivery down leg, getting inside the line and dropping to his knee to play it fine of the man at short fine leg. This was the first boundary since the 29th over. Jacks flicked a shorter and quicker delivery on middle off the back foot to deep square leg for a run. Root angled a tossed-up delivery on middle to wide long off for a run, which also marked the 50-run stand.
Prasidh Krishna bowled a full and wide delivery on off, which Jacks hit off the outer half wide of backward point for one. Root clipped a full delivery on off in front of square on the leg side for one. Krishna also bowled a low full toss on middle, which Jacks drove down the ground, with Jasprit Bumrah sliding to cut it off for a single. Jacks hit a boundary off a hard length delivery on off, slamming it wide of deep cover, where Prince Yadav tidied up, bringing England within 50 runs of victory.
England’s total stood at 225 for 6 in 43.4 overs.
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Source: m.rediff.com
