Captain Joe Root has on Tuesday (February 16) defended England’s rotation policy despite his team’s humiliating defeat of 317 runs against India in the second Test of the ongoing four-match Test series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
For the second Test, England rested their ace pacer James Anderson and dropped in-form spinner, Dom Bess, while the wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler was sent back home after the first Test despite they were already criticized for resting Jonny Bairstow for the first two Test matches in India.
Resulting in, England was outplayed by Team India in all three departments in the second Test to level the four-match Test series 1-1 before moving to Ahmedabad for the rest of the two Tests.
Well, Root refused to blame their rotation policy and team selection for his team's crushing defeat in the second Test against India, saying he has a very capable group of players at his disposal.
Root said at the post-match press conference: “My job is to manage the squad of players that we have here, and trying to do that to the best of my ability. I think we've got some wonderful players and a squad of players that is more than capable of winning here.”
He added, “As soon our squad is passed over, it's my responsibility to try and get the best out and try to win as many games as we can. It is difficult and challenging but so is everything at the moment. In this time with COVID, with the amount of cricket that we've got and trying to manage all together is tough.
But it is where we're at. And that's where we find ourselves and we just have to make sure that we get the best out of the players. And as I mentioned, we've got a very talented group of players. We've got a number of different options. So, it doesn't change my focus, we want to win these next two games.”
Well, England has announced the squad for the third pink-ball Test against India with Jofra Archer returned to the XI after missing the second Test due to an elbow injury.
England also added Anderson and Stuart Broad in the squad for the third Test and Root hopes they have got the right team to make the most of the Ahmedabad conditions, as they now have to win both of their next two matches to secure a place in the final of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship.
Root further noted, “We'll look at a squad that is available to us and make sure that we're very happy with the XI that's selected to make the most of this pink ball under the lights. And, hopefully, that will be the right team to take advantage of those conditions.”
On Moeen Ali who is returning home, the England captain said: “Yeah, Moeen Ali has chosen to go home. It has obviously been a very tricky tour for him. If players feel that they need to get out of the bubble, that has been an option. That decision has been made. Hopefully, he feels better.”
The all-rounder has been living in bio-bubble since England’s tour of Sri Lanka where he had contracted the COVID-19 and missed the two-match Test series before arriving in India. He wasn’t picked for the first Test but returned with 8 wickets in the second Test against the Indian cricket team.
Root signed off by saying, “He really had a difficult one for him having to deal with COVID. Been in his room for such long periods of time. That just got to a point where he wants to get out of the bubble. And that's absolutely fair enough. It wasn't an easy decision for him, but one that I absolutely respect and understand.”
(With PTI Inputs)
