ENG v IND 2021: ‘Living my boyhood dream’, Joe Root after becoming most successful England Test captain

England registered an innings and 76 runs victory over India in the third Test at Headingley.

By Salman Anjum - 29 Aug, 2021

England on Saturday (August 28) registered an innings and 76 runs victory over Team India in the third Test at Headingley to level the five-match series 1-1.

With this victory, Joe Root became England’s most successful Test captain with 27 wins from 55 games. He surpassed the likes of Michael Vaughan (26), Andrew Strauss (24) and Alastair Cook (24) in terms of most number of wins by an England Test captain.

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"As I mentioned before the game, I'm living my boyhood dream of captaining England. It's something that I dreamt of doing from being really small," Root said in the post-match press conference.

"I couldn't be more proud to have gone past Vaughan but you don't do that on your own as a captain, it's down to the group of players and the coaching staff as well."

Amid the hectic bubble life, England opted for a rotation policy to keep their key players in a good frame of mind, which resulted in performances going down and also invited criticism from all quarters.

"It's been a very challenging period throughout my tenure as captain, there has been a lot to contend with, a lot around the games, and not necessarily all the full focus has been on the field," Root said.

"But that’s part and parcel of the job. I haven’t put a time limit on it. As long as I am enjoying it, as long as we feel like we are moving in the right direction and that I am the right man for it in my own mind, I am more than happy to keep doing it."

England came into the contest on the back of a humiliating defeat in the second Test at Lord’s, but they bounced back emphatically at Headingley.

The home team bowled out India for a paltry 78 in the first innings before taking a massive lead of 354 runs.

Hailing his troops, Root said: "You're the one making the decisions but they are the ones going out, time and time again putting in performances."

"I'm really proud of the way they have done that this week. I sat here now 1-1 with a big, smiley dressing-room and two big games ahead of us."

Root lauded Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed for setting up the tone and said their 135-run stand was the turning point.

"I think it was almost a turning point in the game for me, to have such a substantial first partnership was exceptional.

"Credit to those two lads, under the pump last week and to come out and perform like that was brilliant. It really set the game up. We held the game really well."

He also praised his bowlers for exploiting the conditions in the first morning.

"It was a very clinical performance. We took advantage of the conditions on day one, we bowled exceptionally well.

"We found the length very early on this wicket, exploited the conditions very well and then that opening partnership set things up," Root said.

The fourth Test of the series will be played at the Oval from Thursday (September 2).

(With PTI inputs)

By Salman Anjum - 29 Aug, 2021

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