\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\nA worrying thing, for me, is that Joe Root \u2013 very fine batsman though he undoubtedly is at Test level \u2013 continues to evade what I regard as his true calling, or responsibility, in the England side. Sure, he\u2019s been one of England\u2019s all-time greats; but that is irrelevant for the thrust of this piece!<\/p>\n
Overall, Root has tried the crucial Number 3 spot a considerable number of times, in 30 of all his 104 first innings, starting with T2 to T4 in December 2013 during the Ashes series under Captain Cook. Then a long gap: his next appearance at Number 3 coming two and a half years later, against Pakistan (at home) in July 2016. He continued in that spot for the following series against Bangladesh (away) and India (away).\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yet despite doing well during the India matches, he returned to batting at Number 4 for the following home series against South Africa and the West Indies during the summer of 2017, and after that for the Ashes series Down Under (November 2017 to January 2018). Then dipping his toe in the number 3 water in TI \u2013 though not in T2 \u2013 against New Zealand (away) in early-2018.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Root tried his hand batting at number 3 again in the following home series against Pakistan and against India in summer of 2018, though reverted to number 4 in T5 of that India series. And so it went on. In the following three-match series in Sri Lanka\u2026you\u2019ve guessed it\u2026he continued at Number 4\u2026not long afterwards (after one more series) being back at 3 for (most of) the Ashes series of summer 2019, then ducking back to number 4 for the next series \u2013 vs NZ (away) and vs South Africa (away) \u2013 before mixing batting at Numbers 3 and 4 against WI (home) and Pakistan (home) during the summer of 2020.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was back at Number 4 for the next five series until having another go at Number 3 for the three-match against WI (away) in March 2022; yet again reverting to Number 4 until a solitary appearance at first drop in T1 against in Pakistan in early-October 2024. It was adieu to that position rather than au revoir! England have played a further four series since then (plus hosting one match versus Zimbabwe).<\/p>\n
Yo-Yo Feature<\/strong><\/p>\nPlotting these appearances at first drop reveals a yo-yo feature, so frequent have been the switches.<\/p>\nFrom December 2013 through to March 2022, Root occupied the Number 3 spot a total of 30 times in 104 of England\u2019s first innings: 29%. That being from his 13<\/em>th <\/sup><\/em>through to his 116<\/em>th <\/sup><\/em>innings.<\/em><\/p>\nAnd during July 2016 to March 2022, it was more intensive: 27 times at Number 3 in 74 innings, 36.5%, occurring from his 43<\/em>rd<\/sup><\/em> to his 116<\/em>th<\/sup><\/em> innings. A veritable yo-yo act.<\/em><\/p>\nBalance of Performance\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nWhilst it is the case that Joe Root has performed better at Number 4 than at Number 3, this hasn\u2019t been by a large distance: by one-fifth on batting average in these two positions. Yet he seems to have developed a strong aversion to returning to the number 3 spot, in effect for the past four and a quarter years.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\nThe (presumed) Conventional Wisdom\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nIf a poll were to be taken of commentators on Test cricket, the conventional wisdom to emerge would, I presume, be that \u2013 in general, taking all participating nations \u2013 batsmen are thought to perform rather better at number 4 than at 3. However, of the fifteen England batsmen who are, validly, Joe Root\u2019s comparitors since 1945, only four of them \u2013 Denis Compton, Peter May, Keith Fletcher and Allan Lamb \u2013 have borne out this belief \u2013 as detailed in the Appendix.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of the other eleven comparitors, as many as nine have performed distinctly better at number 3 than at 4; and with Graveney and Hussain doing better there by a smaller margin \u2013 8%. This is testimony to their versatility, able to hold the fort after an early breakthrough by the opposition whilst also being able to flourish and play like a classical number four when a substantial opening partnership has been forged.<\/p>\n
Also surprising (to me), is that four of these comparitors have actually done materially better, on scoring average, at number 3 than at the, often coveted, number 5 spot: Ken Barrington, Tom Graveney, Ted Dexter and Derek Randall \u2013 with Gower and Gatting doing similarly well in these two positions.<\/p>\n
The Interlopers<\/strong><\/p>\nMeanwhile, the selectors and captains Cook (until Dec 2017) and Stokes (from June 2022) \u2013 with Root in the job in between<\/em> \u2013 have acceded to his wishes; and, during the New Regime under Brendon McCullum (BMC), they have \u201cthrown lambs to the slaughter\u201d: a frequently fidgety and over-impetuous Ollie Pope for the bulk of the time \u2013 having a total of 73 innings under BMC, from age 24 and a half through to a couple of weeks before his 28th<\/sup> birthday, nearly always at Number 3, unless Bethell was present.\u00a0<\/p>\nPope has averaged 33.3 in this position under BMC (putting aside his two matches against lowly Ireland and Zimbabwe) \u2013 perhaps \u201cacceptable\u201d as a summary figure, though inconsistency and his manner of batting are the warranted criticisms.<\/p>\n
Pope has been briefly interspersed with, and then superseded by, a young and inexperienced Jacob Bethell \u2013 from when having recently turned 21 years of age through to his latest stint at age 22 and eight months. Manifestly, a high calibre batsman; but despite strong showings in second digs, in his nine first innings \u2013 eight of them at Number 3 \u2013 Bethell has moved above 16 runs only once (scoring 74 versus New Zealand in T3 of the most recent series).\u00a0<\/p>\n
A regular feature of Bethell\u2019s dismissals when at first drop is being caught either behind the stumps or in the slips cordon, often being tempted into driving at pace deliveries outside off stump (some of which could have been safely left alone). This is unbecoming of a batsman in this position in the order, especially as he\u2019s arrived at the crease in England\u2019s first innings with the scores on: 9<\/strong>, 12<\/strong>, 32, 7<\/strong>, 35, 16<\/strong>, 45 and 8<\/strong>. Just three moderately good starts in that series of eight! Virtually opening the innings on the other five occasions. (In only one match being tried elsewhere in the order \u2013 at Number 6 vs India, for scores of 6 and 5.)<\/p>\nOne notable commentator has condoned Bethell\u2019s first innings failures by saying he\u2019s a quick learner, usually making amends in his second innings \u2013 perhaps true, though a premature injection, it seems, in view of the trend. And this is certainly untrue of the latest three match series against New Zealand \u2013 with his second innings scores of 14, naught and naught.<\/p>\n
Contrast the younger of these two \u201clambs\u201d with a feature of top class batsmen, tending to reach a peak of capability in their mid to late-twenties, and quite often later than that. Below are the peak periods for all of the comparitors, plus Kevin Pietersen and Mike Atherton. The implication is all too obvious!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Denis Compton when age 29-31<\/p>\n
Tom Graveney hit his straps from age 26<\/p>\n
Peter May at his best from age 24-28<\/p>\n
Ken Barrington best when in his early-mid-30s<\/p>\n
Colin Cowdrey best during age 25-33<\/p>\n
Ted Dexter maturing early, at age 24<\/p>\n
Keith Fletcher at his peak from around age 28-30<\/p>\n
Derek Randall best from age 26-32<\/p>\n
Allan Lamb best from age 28-30 and later on when age 34-37<\/p>\n
David Gower hit his straps from the very start, at age 21<\/p>\n
Mike Gatting best at age 27-30<\/p>\n
Alec Stewart at his best from age 28-31 and age 33-36<\/p>\n
Nasser Hussain best during age 28-30 with a resurgence during age 33-36<\/p>\n
Kevin Pietersen best at age 26-28<\/p>\n
Mike Atherton: best early on at age 21-22, followed by a lengthy resurgence at age 25-30<\/p>\n
Michael Vaughan at his best from age 26-30 and, after a break, from age 32-33<\/p>\n
Ian Bell best from age 23-29 and age 31-33<\/p>\n
The grand average peak, at its initiation,<\/em> for these batsmen works out to be age 26.\u00a0<\/p>\nIn Joe Root\u2019s case, blossoming early on, from age 22 through to age 26, though with no discernible slumps in form of any note thereafter. The comparable age for Aussie and Indian batsmen post-WW2 might be a little lower: I haven\u2019t done the analysis as this isn\u2019t relevant to the point I\u2019m making in an England \u2013 and quintessentially English \u2013 context.<\/p>\n
In view of the discussion and argument so far, I feel that all this recent heady laudation of Joe Root is somewhat overdone \u2013 perhaps misplaced even.<\/em> Yet I believe he has the batting talent and the repertoire of shots for the number 3 spot as shown, in part, by his ten innings opening the batting for England in the Ashes series of 2013\/14, in which he averaged 37.7 \u2013 scoring 30, 68 and 180, accompanied by two other starts (11 and 16) and 13 not out. This done when facing the high calibre deliveries of Mitchell Starc, Ryan Harris, James Pattinson and Peter Siddle.<\/p>\nAnd Root has shown he can handle the Number 3 spot even when England get off to a poor start, losing their first wicket for less than 30 runs: ie when the openers have each made no more than about 14 runs, together facing some 7 to 9 overs.<\/p>\n
There isn\u2019t a strong correlation between a poor England start \u2013 as indicated, being put at under 30 runs \u2013\u00a0and Root himself making a relatively low score (for him) \u2013 put at under 40 runs \u2013 when coming in at Number 3. On two-fifths of England\u2019s poor start occasions during his Test career, Root\u00a0when at Number 3 has made 40 plus runs. So I think it is fully reasonable to conclude he has the equipment to succeed at the Number 3 spot.<\/p>\n
As the following charts show, though, he\u2019s been on a declining trend in that spot. Both including and excluding his mega innings, in Pakistan, of 254.\u00a0I think he\u2019s talked himself into\u00a0it!<\/p>\nIt remains to note that, overall at Number 3 for England, Joe Root\u2019s batting average is 36.9\u2026and that when his mega innings of 254 in Pakistan is excluded, it reduces to 33.1 \u2013 still not too bad!<\/p>\n
JMB to be Commissioned?<\/strong><\/p>\nTo move to the potential future action:<\/em> as further context I ask you \u2013 the reader \u2013 to acknowledge that the crucial skill of researchers \u2013 contrary to so many lay persons\u2019 beliefs \u2013 lies not in the delving into, and beavering away at, reams of data. Rather, it is having the intuition and imagination, backed by some informed insight, to formulate potentially rewarding hypotheses for testing. As illustrated so well by the work of the greatest scientist of the twentieth century, Albert Einstein. To quote him:<\/p>\nThe intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.<\/em><\/p>\nImagination is more important than knowledge.\u00a0 For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.<\/em><\/p>\nHere, my working hypothesis for testing is that Joe Root\u2019s problem with the number 3 spot really has little, or nothing at all, to do with his scoring sequences there, nor his ability to master that position. Instead, it is predominantly \u2013 or wholly \u2013 a psychological barrier that he has created and is now confronted with. He may well be intimidated by it\u2026viewing it as a rather forbidding place. If this is confirmed after clinical probing, his aversion to going in at first drop can, surely, be overcome\u2026with the right sort of help.<\/p>\n
In the team\u2019s interest, Brendon McCullum should give him Mike Brearley\u2019s (JMB) telephone number and get him to scoot down to London\u2019s NW3 district where JMB still provides psychoanalysis and psychotherapy services. In general, a series of about 12 to 15 weekly sessions is sufficient to see a significant improvement in a patient\u2019s problems, and could be expected in regard to Root\u2019s aversion. And, hopefully, JMB will also tell him to put away that inherently risky (attempted) glide through the slips area, with plenty of video recordings shown to drive this point home.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Peter Kettle | 11:55pm BST 08 July 2026 A worrying thing, for me, is that Joe Root \u2013 very fine batsman though he undoubtedly is at Test level \u2013 continues to evade what I regard as his true calling, or responsibility, in the England side. Sure, he\u2019s been one of England\u2019s all-time greats; but that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":252093,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6803],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-252092","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cricket"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/252092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=252092"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/252092\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/252093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=252092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=252092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=252092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}