England registered a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over India in the rescheduled fifth Test at Edgbaston on Tuesday (July 5).
Heading into the final day, the hosts needed 119 more runs while chasing the target of 378 and they pulled it off without breaking a sweat in the first session itself.
Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow did the job for England with an unbroken 269-run partnership for the third wicket. While Root returned with a match-winning knock of 142 not out, Bairstow stayed unbeaten on 114 off 145 balls.
With this victory, the home team didn’t only pull off their highest successful run chase in Tests but also level the five-match series 2-2.
Speaking after the game, Root, who was adjudged Player-of-the-Series for his four centuries in the series, revealed that skipper Ben Stokes had told players to chase instead of batting first before the match.
"The chase was remarkable. There is a shift in mentality. Before the game, Stokes said that we are not going to bat first, we are going to chase. It is a slightly different outlook on the game. When you have a whole group backing what we are going to do, it gives you a huge amount of confidence," said Root in a post-match press conference.
Reflecting on the partnership with Bairstow, Root said they had conversations during the chase.
"We had our conversations while batting. We knew that Indians were very much in the game. They are a side that takes the opportunity or wicket if they sniff it, they are really good at it. So we ensured that there was no more fall of a wicket. There have been talks about being positive and putting pressure back on the opposition. There have been talks about recognising passages of the game, the moments where you have to absorb some pressure. It was one of those moments," he said.
Commenting on the term 'Bazball' – used to describe England's aggressive approach under the new management of captain Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, Root said: "Ben wanted us to be entertainers, he mentioned trying to be rockstars on the field. It is more about trying to have fun."
While the veteran batter Root admitted that it has been amazing four weeks for England, he feels there is still potential for a lot more.
"We should be excited about what is to come for the rest of the summer and beyond that. We just got to play with that same confidence, keep a fun element to it and hopefully, replicate some more entertaining games of cricket," he remarked.
(With ANI inputs)
