Joe Root Delighted with England’s Progress, Enjoys Most Enjoyable Years of Career
England’s Joe Root, named Player of the Summer after the series win against Sri Lanka, expressed his delight at the team’s progress and his own enjoyment of the game. Despite a loss in the third Test, Root praised the team’s efforts and the emergence of new talent.
Root’s impressive performance in the Test summer, with 666 runs in six games, including three centuries and three fifties, earned him the Player of the Series honor. He also surpassed Alastair Cook’s record of 33 Test centuries, becoming England’s most successful batter in terms of centuries.
In the third Test, Sri Lanka’s fine century by Pathum Nissanka and inspired bowling effort secured an eight-wicket win. Nissanka’s 127* and a 69-run partnership with Kusal Mendis helped Sri Lanka chase down the target of 219.
Root acknowledged the challenges faced in the third Test but emphasized the team’s commitment to finding ways to improve. He praised the contributions of new faces like Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Olly Stone, and Josh Hull, highlighting the depth of talent in English cricket.
“It is what you pride yourself on as a senior player and as a batter. Great to see this team constantly finding new ways to look at the game and keep evolving and keep getting better,” said Root. “To see some new faces come in and put their best foot forward shows the depth that we’ve got within this format in English cricket.”
Root’s enthusiasm for the game and his belief in the team’s potential are evident in his comments. He expressed his hope that the team’s success will continue and that he will continue to enjoy playing for England.