England batting star Joe Root has found himself at the centre of a major cricket debate after putting his team’s victory ahead of a personal milestone during the second ODI against India in Cardiff. Root finished unbeaten on 99 as England secured a four-wicket win to level the three-match series at 1-1, but his decision to forgo a century has divided opinions among fans and experts.
Chasing 234, England endured a nightmare start as Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Ben Duckett with the very first ball of the innings before Prasidh Krishna removed Jacob Bethell inside the opening four overs. Reduced to 8/2, the hosts were under immense pressure.
Joe Root, however, once again demonstrated why he is regarded as one of the finest ODI batters of his generation. After surviving the early challenge, the former England captain rebuilt the innings with a calm and calculated approach. He stitched together valuable partnerships with Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Jos Buttler, Will Jacks and Gus Atkinson, steadily guiding England towards the target.
Root paced his innings perfectly, scoring an unbeaten 99 from 133 deliveries. While the knock lacked just one run to become his 21st ODI century, it proved to be the defining performance that sealed England’s victory.
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The talking point arrived in the closing stages of the chase. England required only five runs to win, with Root unbeaten on 99 and Atkinson at the other end. Rather than trying to retain the strike and complete his century, Root encouraged Atkinson to finish the game. The fast bowler responded by striking a boundary in the next over, sealing the win and leaving Root stranded one run short of a well-deserved hundred.
Explaining his decision after the match, Root made it clear that the team’s success mattered far more than any individual landmark.
With 5 needed and Joe Root on 99, Gus Atkinson took a single on the last ball of the 44th over
Atkinson hit a four in the next over to win the game with Joe Root on 99* 🫠 pic.twitter.com/9kirCaheIz
— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) July 16, 2026
“I told Atkinson to just get it done. If they want to set fields like that and give us a chance to win the game, then let’s take it. It’s all about winning, and there’s no better feeling in cricket than being there at the end, chasing something down,” Joe Root said during the post-match presentation.
Interestingly, India captain Shubman Gill admitted he would have approached the situation differently. Speaking after the match, Gill said he would have preferred to remain on strike to complete his century before finishing the chase.
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The contrasting viewpoints have sparked widespread discussion across the cricketing world. While many praised Root’s selfless attitude and team-first mentality, others felt there was nothing wrong with a batter trying to complete a deserved century while still ensuring victory.
Regardless of the differing opinions, Root’s unbeaten 99 will be remembered as one of the most influential innings of the series, helping England level the contest and setting up a winner-takes-all decider at Lord’s.
