Joe Root: England must adapt to challenge for World Cup

Root stresses adaptability as key to England's World Cup ambitions ahead of Australia ODIs

Perth, Nov 11

Speaking ahead of the opening ODI, Root emphasised the importance of learning to handle different surfaces and match situations as England look to build a more rounded team.

"We're a team that wants to be more adaptable. If we are going to challenge that World Cup, we're going to have to be able to adapt our games," Root told reporters in Perth on Wednesday.

"We're quite young and inexperienced in many ways. So the more experience we have on different surfaces, different situations in games... the more we'll learn, develop and become a more rounded team.

"We've come from Pakistan. We've learned a huge amount there. Over the course of this series, we're going to have to be really clear on how we want to get the best out of these three games. So that's the challenge for us."

England arrive in Australia after a tri-series involving Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in which they managed just one win from four group matches.

Root, however, expressed confidence in the younger members of the squad, highlighting their talent and energy while backing them to make the most of the conditions in Australia. "They're very exciting. They've got huge amounts of energy, huge amounts of talent," Root said of his younger teammates. "They've done very well domestically, and they've got great skill sets.

"I'm sure they'll be desperate to try and utilise the surfaces after coming from Pakistan, where you might not have the bounce. They've been great in this lead-up phase, and I'm sure if they get that opportunity, they'll put the best foot forward," Root added.

The opening match of the series will also be a milestone occasion for the 35-year-old, who is set to play his 200th ODI in Sydney. Root said the achievement was particularly special given his childhood dreams of representing England.

"I played my 100th ODI in Sydney and to be back here for my 200th game is obviously a huge privilege," Root said. "As a kid in the back garden or on the driveway, playing little Test matches and international games against my brother and my friends with a table, twigs in the ground... to play as many games as I have is a real privilege.

"I'm very proud of that, and hopefully we can continue our development as a team over the next little while ahead of what's a very exciting World Cup not far down the line," he added.

Reflecting on his longevity at the international level, Root said adapting to changing team dynamics and understanding the demands of different situations had been central to his career. "As a player, you've just got to keep evolving with it, and you've got to keep finding ways of understanding the rhythm of the game," he said.

"I've played alongside a number of different players in a number of different teams. Some very successful, some at the other end of the scale as well. And through that you gain a huge amount of experience and understand the different things that are required in different moments.

"I do feel like that will obviously always help me now for the rest of my career in terms of having that in the bank."

The first ODI will be played at Perth Stadium on November 13, followed by the second match in Adelaide on November 15 and the third in Hobart on November 17.

— IANS