Former England captain Joe Root said that he is aiming to finetune his white-ball skills by playing in T20 leagues with an eye on the ICC ODI World Cup this year which is to be played in India in October-November.
Root has played more than 150 ODIs, scoring 6,207 runs at an average of 50.05, he feels that playing in leagues such as the ILT20 league in UAE, beginning in Dubai on January 13, will give him the necessary versatility as England aims to retain the 50-over World Cup.
"I have a lot of experience in playing 50-over cricket now. I have got a good understanding of how to play in ODIs. I really want to develop my white-ball game further and if there is anything that I can add to my 50-over game, it will come from playing more T20 cricket and putting myself in situations I have not found myself frequently during the course of my career so far," said Root, who will play for Dubai Capitals in ILT20.
Joe Root will also be seen in the IPL for the very first time after he was bought by Rajasthan Royals in the recent IPL 2023 auction.
"It's really exciting for me. I haven't played a lot of T20 cricket in the last couple of years, but my experience as a cricketer will hold me in good stead. Hopefully, I can go out there and get some big scores to help our team win some matches," said Root, part of England’s 2019 World Cup triumph at home.
He fondly talked of Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar as he called him an icon and a "standout" for him when he was growing up.
"I mean obviously there are some wonderful players currently playing but look at what Sachin (Tendulkar) has achieved; it's just remarkable really, the longevity, the ability to be such a high-performing player at such a young age, and then to be able to sustain and to keep developing and moving forward in the game," Root told Zee.
"There have been times when he's carried the weight of the pressure on his shoulders, and he did it for over 20 years. He made his debut before I was born and played in my debut, and it just shows how and what he was for Indian cricket for such a long period of time.
Truly great at the game, someone that you know, along with many others. I was a kid and I was admiring the way he played, how easy it looked, and not only has he contributed to Indian cricket but also to world cricket. So yeah, definitely a standout for me as a kid growing up,” Root signed off.
(PTI inputs)
