England vs Sri Lanka: Joe Root finds his best in Bazball era

The reverse-scoop (the Roop?) was deployed with success in the early part of Stokes’ reign, but first cost Root his wicket against New Zealand at Mount Manganui in early 2023.

Later that year, his attempt to reverse Pat Cummins became one of the most famous dot balls in Ashes history. Root missed, but by trying the shot to the first ball of the fourth day of the opening Test at Edgbaston, he made England’s intentions clear.

In India, it unravelled. Root’s reverse at Jasprit Bumrah in the third Test at Rajkot was caught at slip, sparked an England collapse and caused a national debate over the damage being done to one to one of the country’s most treasured assets. Like asking David Attenborough to knock wildlife on the head and try grime music instead.

Only Root will know what he contemplated in the aftermath, but since that moment he has been impeccable with the bat.

Root has made at least one half-century in each of the six Tests following the Rajkot reverse, including three hundreds, culminating with a sublime 143 against Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Thursday.

In that time, Root is averaging 87 with a strike-rate of 58.8, just a smidge above his career rate of 56.8. While England Bazball, Root has found a way to Rootball.

After Rajkot and until this Test at Lord’s, Root attempted only two reverse scoops, one after passing three figures against West Indies at Trent Bridge, the other with the game at Old Trafford in the bag. He missed the second one, too.

This ton was an exhibition, a ruthless exploitation of ideal batting conditions while others around him found ways to get out.

Root’s defence was immaculate, the tucks off his pads crisp and timing through the off side sweet.

His only moment of uncertainty came in 12 deliveries spent on 99, the most in his Test career and longest by any England batter in a Test for 24 years. When he finally got to three figures, Root paid tribute to Graham Thorpe, the late former England batter and batting coach who had such an influence on his career.

It was a twist for such an unblemished innings to be ended by the third post-Rajkot reverse, as Root’s scoop at Milan Rathnayake ended in the hands of point. There were only two and a half overs to go until the second new ball.

“I don’t like to be driven by fear,” Root explained to Test Match Special afterwards. “You are looking for opportunities, how you’re going to score and move the game forward. I felt like I’d earned the right to do that in that situation.

“It was about trying to mentally put a nail in the coffin going into the second new ball and driving home in the last hour. We could have ended up getting 30 or 40 more runs if that was the case.”