Legendary India batter Gautam Gambhir is not impressed with England star Joe Root’s performances in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023. Gambhir has stated that England’s batting has faltered whenever Root failed to perform, claiming that the entire batting lineup revolves around him.
“If you see England’s batting lineup, apart from Joe Root, all the other guys want to play aggressive cricket. It is the form of Joe Root that has been the most damaging thing for this batting lineup because this entire batting lineup revolves around him,” Gautam Gambhir said on Star Sports.
Gambhir believes that Root should play the anchor role and the other players would then be able to play how they wanted to. Notably, Root was dismissed for a golden duck against India in Lucknow.
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“He was that anchor and glue who could bat from one end and the rest of the guys could actually play the way they wanted to. The moment Root hasn’t delivered, everyone gets exposed. Not a lot of guys have that ability to absorb the pressure of playing against the seaming and swinging balls,” Gautam Gambhir added.
Joe Root made his best of the starts in the ongoing tournament, having scored half-centuries against New Zealand and Bangladesh, respectively. However, the right-hander’s performance with the bat has sputtered since then. He has managed 175 runs from six games at an average of 29.16 and a strike rate of 93.08.
England has had a forgettable campaign in the ODI World Cup as they are currently at the bottom of the points table with two points and a net run rate of -1.652. The Jos Buttler-led side will next take on five-time champions Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 4.
Gambhir’s comments have sparked a debate among cricket fans and experts. Some agree with his assessment that Root is a key player for England and that his form is crucial to their success.
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Others argue that England’s batting lineup is too reliant on Root and that they need to find other ways to score runs. It remains to be seen whether Root can find his form in the remaining matches of the tournament. If he does, it could give England a much-needed boost. However, if he continues to struggle, it could be a major setback for the team.
