NewKerala.com

Joe Root's Relief: How a Mental Shift Led to His Elusive Australian Century

Joe Root finally got the monkey off his back with a century in Australia. He admitted feeling a huge sense of relief after the knock. Root explained that overthinking the bounce in Perth led to his early dismissals. For Brisbane, he simplified his game, focused on playing straight, and it paid off.

Key Points: Joe Root on Relief of First Test Century in Australia

  • Root scored a patient 138 in Brisbane after failing twice in Perth
  • He admitted being "too obsessed with the bounce" in the first Test
  • His Brisbane strategy focused on playing straight to minimize risk
  • The century came with England trailing 0-2 in the Ashes series
2 min read

Joe Root admits first Test century in Australia was a relief

Joe Root reveals the mental and technical adjustments that freed him to score his first Test hundred in Australia during the crucial Brisbane Ashes Test.

"Relief (on scoring first century in Australia in Tests). - Joe Root"

Adelaide, December 14

England batter Joe Root admitted that getting his first Test century in Australia was a "relief" and spoke about what led to him getting to that once-elusive milestone during the Brisbane Test after a horror show at Perth.

Root kick-started his Ashes series in Australia with two single-digit scores at Perth, with his Test legacy as an all-conquering legend in question. However, in a technical masterclass at Brisbane during the pink-ball Test, Root ended all doubts about his greatness, scoring a patient 138-run knock which has so far been the biggest moment of joy for England in what has been a largely poor series so far for England, as they had to Adelaide Test with a 0-2 scoreline, making the match a do-or-die affair.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Root admitted, "Relief (on scoring first century in Australia in Tests)."

Further reflecting on what freed him at Brisbane, Root said that at Perth, he was "too obsessed with the bounce" and that led to his dismissal.

"I think in the first Test I got too obsessed with the bounce, trying to play square of the wicket. I think that was to my demise in both innings," he said.

Further said that in Brisbane, he "took out the modes of dismissal" out of the equation and focused on "playing straight".

"In Brisbane, I tried to take modes of dismissal out of the game where I could, played as straight as possible and understood that sometimes less is more in those conditions."

"Trying to take out as much risk as possible with the highest amount of output and replicate that time and time again," he concluded.

Now in Australia, in 16 Tests and 31 innings, he has scored 1,053 runs at an average of 37.60, with a century and nine fifties, with a best score of 138*.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
As an Indian cricket fan, I can relate to the pressure of performing in Australia. The bounce there is a different beast. Good on him for adjusting his technique. Hope our batters are taking notes for the next Border-Gavaskar series!
R
Rohit P
Respect for the honesty. "Too obsessed with the bounce" – that's such a real thing for visiting batters. But one century in 16 Tests in Aus? For a player of his calibre, that average is still a bit underwhelming, to be honest.
S
Sarah B
Watching from the UK, but have lived in Mumbai for years. The analysis here is spot on. In India, we talk so much about playing spin, but overseas conditions require this kind of sharp, quick adjustment. Great lesson in mindset.
V
Vikram M
Quality innings under pressure. But England are 0-2 down... feels like too little, too late for the series? That's the problem, individual brilliance can't always save a team. Reminds me of some of our Indian team's overseas tours in the past.
K
Karthik V
"Sometimes less is more" – brilliant quote. That's the essence of Test cricket in tough conditions. Hope the young Indian batters like Gill and Iyer are listening. Patience is key! 👏

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50