4 min readAug 31, 2026 01:10 PM IST
With their 194-run win over Pakistan in the second Test of the three-Test series at Lord’s on Sunday, the Joe Root led England team sealed the series win. Prior to the second Test, all the talk had been on England pacer Brydon Carse being dropped from the squad after videos of him in handcuffs by Derby police outside a pub were reported by English media. Carse was the eight England contracted player to be involved in a drinking related incident and with the win at Lord’s, Root has urged his team-mates to enjoy the win in a ‘sensible, grown-up way’.
“It’s important we’re not talking about (off-field matters), absolutely. But it’s hard to win Test matches, it’s hard to win Test series, so enjoy it and celebrate it, but in a sensible, grown-up way. It’s been a really good start to, I don’t know what you want to call it, this new team,” said Root post the match.
England had won the first Test at Leeds with an innings and 103 runs. In the Lord’s Test, Root could only score four runs in England’s first innings before he fell for 24 in the second innings. The 35-year-old , who currently sits at the second spot in all-time highest run scorers in Tests behind Sachin Tendulkar, surpassed Rickey Ponting’s record of highest run-scorer in Tests at home soil. Ponting had scored 7,578 runs in Australia and Root broke Ponting’s record when he reached on 13 during his knock of 24. Root, who is now 1,713 runs behind Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 15921, has averaged 29.44 in his last nine innings in Tests and has been dismissed LBW for seven times in those nine innings. Root spoke about how he is working hard in his batting and how there’s a big score waiting.
“I’ve always been quite good at understanding and eventually problem-solving. I’ll continue to keep working hard. I might have been lbw a few times, but lots of those have been umpire’s call – if they go the other way it might not be as much of a talking point. We’ve also seen the ball move more than it ever has. So there has to be a sense of calm and realism around things. I know I’m a good player, and I’d like to think there’s a big score around the corner,” shared Root.
Only four batsmen could get past a fifty in the Lord’s Test with pacers accounting for most of the wickets in the Test. Root also spoke about how the balls have been different for this season and the wickets too. “I think they’ve been very different this year. I think there’s a different lacquer to them. I don’t know, I’ve not got evidence on that – you probably need to ask Dukes – but I think there’s lacquer on the seam. As a batter, when you practise, they’re cracking your bats more frequently. And they seem a lot firmer. I think they’re affecting the wickets as well. I think they’re denting more. If they dent the wicket it’s going to seam off the dents as well, it’s going to move more. It’s been challenging. Sometimes you do come across summers where it’s the perfect storm: you get overcast conditions, you get a bit of rain to contend with, the balls are slightly different. But that’s part of the challenge of Test cricket, being able to adapt,” said Root.