Friday in Manchester belonged to Joe Root as 20,000 people inside Old Trafford watched a master at work. Inevitable is a dangerous word in a fickle sport like cricket and yet the events that transpired felt as close to this as is possible: the likeliest of outcomes once Root gambolled out to the middle first thing under an azure blue sky.
The first expectation was that England, trailing India by 133 runs on 225 for two, would take control of this fourth Test and, sitting 2-1 up, the series as a whole. Ben Stokes, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley had inflicted such damage on day two that it was going to take something remarkable from the tourists to turn their fortunes around.
There was also a strong suspicion that Root, starting on 11, would end the day with only Sachin Tendulkar higher on the all- time run-scoring chart. Compiling 150 from 248 balls, a 38th Test century and another for his personal Louvre, this was very much achieved, with a trio of greats surpassed and his career tally now sitting at 13,409 runs. Tendulkar, who retired on 15,921, is now the final boss left to conquer.
Not that Root milked the moment when, on the stroke of tea, he guided the innocuous Anshul Kamboj for a single behind square to move to 120 and overtake Ricky Ponting (13,378 runs) in second place. If anything, Root seemed sheepish. As Ponting graciously purred on the Sky commentary, and those celestial numbers flashed up on the big screen, the crowd’s ovation was met with a simple wave of the glove.
But then Root is as team-first a cricketer as they come – No Ego Joe, if you will – and will likely have drawn greater satisfaction from England’s position at stumps. It was a commanding one, too, the hosts closing on 544 for seven and leading by 186 runs. There is a bit of rain forecast to arrive on Sunday but Shubman Gill’s men will need to get there first. Given their bereft state and Rishabh Pant’s broken foot, it is hard to envisage a soggy draw.
There were fine support acts on the day; the Richard Ashcrofts to Root’s headlining Oasis. Ollie Pope made a purposeful 71 that, over the course of 38 overs, added 144 for the third wicket. Pope did not always exude the same permanence as Root – he still jabs crookedly in defence and not least against the spinners – but his role in a death-by-a-thousand-cuts morning of singles drove India to distraction.
And Stokes continued what is becoming very much a series being moulded in his image, that long-awaited five-wicket haul on day two followed by a punchy 77 not out. Though paused on 66 – a battle with cramp in his left leg forced him to retire hurt for a spell – the England captain will go into day four eyeing a first Test century for two years. Of greater concern will be how much he can bowl second time around.
For India there was a brief spell in the afternoon when the door that Root and Pope were bolting shut creaked ajar just a sliver. Washington Sundar made a mockery of his bizarre 68-over wait to bowl, with the drift witnessed at Lord’s harnessed once more. Pope edged to slip, while Harry Brook was fooled into a needless stumping on three. England were 349 for four, trailing by nine, and the second new ball was overdue.
It was a fleeting pushback, however, and soon weary bodies went the way of a good few Dukes balls during this hard-fought series. Jasprit Bumrah left the field after one over with the second new ball due to an apparent ankle twinge. Mohammed Siraj got one delivery to rear up and clang Stokes in the box – eye-watering in the extreme – only to soon follow his strike partner with a stiff hobble back to the dressing room.
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Both quicks eventually returned, to their credit, and while Stokes was off the field having treatment, there was a brief flurry of wickets to give the India supporters some cheer. Although among them was Chris Woakes’s off stump being knocked over by a ball from Siraj that scuttled along the ground. When India’s time to bat again comes around, they will not simply have to overcome a refreshed England attack.
As much as the tourists struggled, shipping 319 runs, so much of this came back to Root and the genius on show. The only inconvenience came when eventually stumped off Ravindra Jadeja in the final session, Root accidentally trod on the ball and, for a split second, gave rise to fears of something more sinister having occurred.
That aside, this was another display of Root’s command of the crease: that ability to pick up length early and manipulate the field to his will. A half-century from 99 balls, his latest century from 178, and just 12 crisp fours picked off along the way. Provided the 34-year-old stays fit and hungry – and the latter feels unlikely to diminish given his sheer love for his craft – it feels almost inevitable that he will one day top the lot.
