“I’d like to go on a safari …” Joe Root gave an impish answer when asked whether he would like to feature in the next 50-over World Cup in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe in four years’ time.
On the eve of England’s third match of the current tournament, Root went on to say he has every intention of having bat rather than binoculars in hand. “I’d love to still be playing. The cricket landscape’s forever changing but I can’t see myself not being there, unless I’m not good enough and guys have gone past me.”
England take on Afghanistan side in Delhi on Sunday and Root will be seeking to continue his fine start after arriving in India on the back of a slight dip in his productivity. With 164 notches on his ODI belt, Root’s take on “a bit of a lull” in his recent form was characteristically phlegmatic: “Coming here [to India] I was like: ‘This is my job, this is what I need to do’.”
Scores of 82 and 77 in England’s first two matches made him England’s leading run-scorer in ODI World Cups taking the crown from Graham Gooch. Essex’s run-machine racked up 897 in 21 matches between 1979 and 1992 but Root glided past him in the shadow of the Himalayas and sits on 917 from 19 matches at an average of 57 compared with Gooch’s 48.85.
Asked why he thinks India has been a happy run-hunting country for him Root responded bashfully that he “had quite a good game against spin” but that personal milestones rang hollow if they aren’t backed up by team performances.
“It’s got to mean something over a long period of time to hold any weight. From a personal point of view, they’re all niceties but it’s got to stand for something and the only way it does is if we go on and win this thing, which we know we can.
“This group is capable of a lot of things,” Root said as he reflected on the chastening loss to New Zealand in the tournament opener followed by a comfortable win against Bangladesh in Dharamsala. They will be hoping to build some momentum as they head into the guts of the tournament – tough matches against an impressively bullish South Africa and a much-improved Sri Lanka lie in wait.
“It’s about being a little bit smarter,” said Root. “If we have to play a cagey game then it’s about being brave and poised enough to stand up when it really matters.”
The last time England took on Afghanistan in a 50-over World Cup group game it was far from a cagey affair, a thumping 150-run victory in Manchester four years ago when Eoin Morgan crunched 148 off 71 balls, the former England captain clubbing a record 17 sixes that threatened to pockmark the Pennines beyond Old Trafford.
“I’d like to think [the gap] has tightened,” said Afghanistan’s coach, Jonathan Trott. “I’d say that England are probably in a very similar place to where they were then and I’d say that we’ve got a bit better as well.”
Trott also expressed a desire for his players to bring “joy and happiness” to their fans at home after an earthquake killed more than 2,000 people in the country and injured thousands more last Saturday. Several of Afghanistan’s players have donated to relief efforts with
Rashid Khan announcing he will donate his tournament fee to help the cause.
So often the ace up the Afghan sleeve, the spinner has had something of a moot start to the tournament. He failed to take a wicket in their first match against Bangladesh and did not make an appearance in the eight-wicket loss to India until the 15th over with Rohit Sharma in full demolition mode and the hosts cantering to victory.
“He’s very experienced, knows what he’s doing and he’s highly skilled” Root said. “He can spin the ball at pace, which makes it difficult and he’s unique.
“I’ve been fortunate. The last time we played against him I was just trying to get Morgs [Morgan] on strike as he was just belting it everywhere at Old Trafford. But he’s a fine bowler, he has been successful for a long time – for such a young man – across the world and on all different surfaces.”
England are expected to name an unchanged team, although there is the potential for David Willey or Gus Atkinson to replace Chris Woakes.
Probable teams:
England: Bairstow, Malan, Root, Brook, Buttler (c, wk), Livingstone, Curran, Woakes, Rashid, Wood, Topley.
Afghanistan: Gurbaz (wk), I Zadran, Shah, Shahidi (c), Nabi, N Zadran, Omarzai, Khan, Ur Rahman, Farooqi, Ul-Haq.
