ENG v WI 2020: Joe Root happy to have selection headaches after 2-1 Test series win 

England was able to keep all its fast bowlers fit and lift the Wisden Trophy.

Joe Root | AFP As any other captain, Joe Root doesn't mind the problem of plenty that England has suddenly found himself with in terms of the fast bowling resources available to be picked for Test matches in the ongoing summer. 

Root's comment came as England was able to keep all its fast bowlers fit and lift the Wisden Trophy after the 2-1 Test series victory over West Indies. 

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The team management went for a rotation policy, considering back to back Tests in a curtailed summer affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

While James Anderson, Mark Wood and Jofra Archer played the first game in Southampton, a completely different pace attack took the field in the next one in Manchester, with Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran, apart from all-rounder Ben Stokes, shouldering the burden. 

For the series-decider at the same venue, England played Anderson, Broad, Archer and Woakes, neither of whom took excessive load, as West Indies got bundled out for 197 and 129 in just over 100 overs across the two innings. 

"As we've seen it's hard to leave anyone out - just look at the players that haven't played this game," Root told reporters after the win. "With the talent that's waiting in the wings it's an exciting place to be and long may those headaches continue."

With all of the key Test players rested for the ODI series against Ireland, beginning on Thursday (July 30), Root urged them to make most of the short break they have from the bio-secure bubble before another difficult three-match series awaiting, versus Pakistan from August 5. 

"I think for now it's just important that everyone just goes away, has some time away from cricket, away from this bubble and tries not to think about things for a couple of days," he said. "Towards the back end of the week, we'll start getting our heads around the challenges that the next three games will pose for us."

"It's vitally important that the guys enjoy the next four or five days and really make the most of that time away, time at home with loved ones."

"We've all been very excited about getting home and spending that time refreshing and getting away, so hopefully when we all come back we'll be ready to crack on with another very exciting series," Root concluded. 

(Inputs from AFP)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 29 Jul, 2020

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