 "Joe Root remained unbeaten on 112 as England posted 353 on the board after opting to bat in the fourth Test against India in Ranchi. Sportzpics")
Senior batter Joe Root produced one of the finest knocks of his career on Friday, bringing up his 31st Test hundred on a tricky surface in Ranchi as England recovered from 112/5 to reach 302/7 at stumps on Day 1 of the fourth Test.
Root would then add another 16 runs to his overnight score of 106 not out and remain unbeaten as the visitors finished with a score of 353 after skipper Ben Stokes opted to bat. England would later tighten their grip in the do-or-die fourth Test by reducing the Indian team to 219/7 at close of play on Saturday, thanks primarily to off-spinner Shoaib Bashir’s haul of 4/84.
Root had been going through a lean patch in the ongoing series, collecting just 77 runs across six outings, and was getting dismissed playing rash shots while trying to keep up with the team’s ‘Bazball’ philosophy of ultra-aggression even in the face of adversity. The 33-year-old, however, decided to shelve England’s new-found batting mantra in Ranchi, and decided to grind his way through to a hard-fought ton.
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Speaking to broadcasters after stumps on Day 2, Root explained how he decided to curb his instincts in Ranchi and avoided playing fancy shots such as the reverse sweep.
“That’s how I play every game really, play according to the situation and conditions. I must admit it did cross my mind (to play the reverse scoop when on 96) but it was not a great option as the wicket was keeping low unlike the previous wicket.
“I was desperate to get some runs for the guys and I was happy to do that today," Root told broadcasters Sports18 in a chat after close of play.
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Root also heaped praise on Bashir, who had missed the first Test in Hyderabad due to visa trouble and subsequently made his international debut in Visakhapatnam, but only announced himself before the world in Ranchi on Saturday.
“Shoaib is a great young lad to have in the group. Great character, great sense of humour, and huge ability and skill. Great to see him keep coming and asking questions,” Root added.
India had managed to recover from the early dismissal of skipper Rohit Sharma thanks to a 82-run second-wicket stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal (73) and Shubman Gill (38) before a three-wicket burst by Bashir in the second session left the hosts at a precarious 131/4 at tea.
Bashir would then get rid of Jaiswal after the interval, the southpaw missing out on a third century in as many Tests by getting an under-edge to a delivery that stayed low, while Tom Hartley removed Sarfaraz Khan and Ravichandran Ashwin in quick succession as India were left gasping for breath at 177/7.
A steady eighth-wicket partnership between wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel (30 not out) and Kuldeep Yadav (17 not out), however, has give the hosts hope of getting as close to the English total as possible.