Joe Root scored an excellent hundred for England in their second Test against the West Indies in Barbados, with the skipper continuing the excellent form he showed in 2021.
Last year, Root scored 1708 runs at an average of 66.00 and he has so far continued where he left off in the Caribbean. After a disappointing 13 in the first innings in Antigua, he scored an outstanding 109 in the second innings.
And he has now made it back-to-back hundreds with a brilliant century in the first innings in Barbados. Having decided to move up the order to number three, a position he was previously reluctant to bat at, it was important that Root made a good start to his new run in the role.
Speaking ahead of the series, Root explained that he felt the time was right for him to take more "responsibility" by batting at three. "I've expressed in the past that I prefer batting at four but I'm ready to take on three now," he said.
"I feel I'm very comfortable in the way I've been playing and performing over the last year or so, and I think it's the right fit for this team. To go and bat slightly higher up and, if we do lose an early wicket, support the openers, show a bit of leadership and responsibility and take the game on.
"Hopefully lay a bit of a platform to bat around." It is the fifth time Root has attempted to bat at number three for England and it certainly seems as though he could be there to stay.
This hundred is his fourth at number three and, after failing to reach three figures in his previous 34 innings in the role, Root's back-to-back centuries in the Caribbean are an excellent sign for England. With Zak Crawley falling for a duck in the fourth over, Root came out to bat very early in the innings and continued where he left off in Antigua.
"Joe Root looked in great nick from the moment he came in," former England international Jonathan Agnew told the BBC. "He's just carrying on his form from the last year.
"He said before the game that he'd put away the issue of him batting at three rather than four. His form is certainly showing that."
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