Joe Root has been soft and looks like a little boy: Ricky Ponting

[English August]

On Vaughan, it was more the continued excellence of that display by scoring more than 600 runs across 5 test matches against the best attack of that era. You're trying to conflate that with one or two excellent innings, which is essentially what you were arguing against earlier by stating that a single innings here or there doesn't make a difference to an overall career. It's your prerogative to judge whether other players have batted as well across a whole season as Vaughan did that winter, but in my opinion I haven't seen it in the past 25 years or so.

Calling it "best attack of the era" is oversimplification. There is context for everything. 600 runs that Vaughan scored in that series basically came via the 3 daddy hundreds. Only first of those came against an attack that included both McGrath and Warne and was played in a genuine competitive situation when the Ashes series was still alive. So I'll grant you that it was the best attack of the era. By the time he scored his second hundred, Warne had gone missing. He is the same gentleman who destroyed many an English batsmen's careers. By the time he got to his third, *both* Warne and McGrath had gone missing. So not really the best attack of the era any more. Roughly 50% of his runs and 2 out of 3 hundreds came in dead rubbers when the Ashes were already lost.

Again, I'm not trying to belittle his accomplishment. But to call this performance, in large parts made up of soft runs, the best in 25 years against Australia, while being dismissive about Laxman's innings as a one-off is a tad unfair. It's the same Laxman who scored a monumental 281 against McGrath, Warne and Gillespie (now *that* was the best attack of the era) to take India to a stirring come-from-behind victory, arguably the most impressive in the history of the game, when all seemed lost. The Australians coined the term "Very Very Special (VVS)" for Laxman. I don't recall the Australians talking in such glowing terms about Vaughan after that series.

 

[Smudger]

Calling it "best attack of the era" is oversimplification. There is context for everything. 600 runs that Vaughan scored in that series basically came via the 3 daddy hundreds. Only first of those came against an attack that included both McGrath and Warne and was played in a genuine competitive situation when the Ashes series was still alive. So I'll grant you that it was the best attack of the era. By the time he scored his second hundred, Warne had gone missing. He is the same gentleman who destroyed many an English batsmen's careers. By the time he got to his third, *both* Warne and McGrath had gone missing. So not really the best attack of the era any more. Roughly 50% of his runs and 2 out of 3 hundreds came in dead rubbers when the Ashes were already lost.

Again, I'm not trying to belittle his accomplishment. But to call this performance, in large parts made up of soft runs, the best in 25 years against Australia, while being dismissive about Laxman's innings as a one-off is a tad unfair. It's the same Laxman who scored a monumental 281 against McGrath, Warne and Gillespie (now *that* was the best attack of the era) to take India to a stirring come-from-behind victory, arguably the most impressive in the history of the game, when all seemed lost. The Australians coined the term "Very Very Special (VVS)" for Laxman. I don't recall the Australians talking in such glowing terms about Vaughan after that series.

A very stupid logic.
Tendulkar scored 1 100 vs aus when mcgrath and warne both were playing. So according to your logic his other 50 100s are of no value.
Its easy to sit on the couch and criticize players. You are nothing but a keyboard warrior.

 

[Robert]

I don’t think there is a dead rubber Ashes test. As soon as the Aussies went three-nil up in the current series, the 2019 campaign began. The Ashes never ends.

 

[Indiafan]

I don’t think there is a dead rubber Ashes test. As soon as the Aussies went three-nil up in the current series, the 2019 campaign began. The Ashes never ends.

For England. And you wonder why you guys are mocked by everyone else

Here's the thing. If you consider something the pinnacle of sports and the holy grail, the least you can do is be good at it

 

[HitWicket]

For England. And you wonder why you guys are mocked by everyone else

Here's the thing. If you consider something the pinnacle of sports and the holy grail, the least you can do is be good at it

You mean by doing something like winning 50% of Ashes series so far this century?

 

[Gilly]

You mean by doing something like winning 50% of Ashes series so far this century?

Which equates to winning six tests and losing fifteen.

 

[HitWicket]

Which equates to winning six tests and losing fifteen.

Actually it's 15 wins 26 losses. Still equal series wins though.

 

[Oligochaetes]

Joe Root fails to get another 100. Sigh!
Has converted just 2 hundreds out of the last 15 times he has touched 50.

Is it an inability to concentrate for long periods? Or just bad luck?

 

[Robert]

For England. And you wonder why you guys are mocked by everyone else

For Australia too. Chappelli said to Border - lose to WI. Lose to India. But whatever you do, you must not lose to England.

I don't wonder why we are mocked and don't care if we are. We will still be playing the Ashes long after test cricket dies in India.

 

[Robert]

Joe Root fails to get another 100. Sigh!
Has converted just 2 hundreds out of the last 15 times he has touched 50.

Is it an inability to concentrate for long periods? Or just bad luck?

Captaincy interfering with his concentration I think.

 

[Princejain191]

Captaincy interfering with his concentration I think.

Yes, because he had an amazing conversion rate before that. I am sure while batting in the last 10 minutes of the day in the final ashes test, he was thinking 'Oh who should bowl when M Marsh comes to bat' 'Wait, why is Starc running with a ball towards me' "Oh shiiiiiii, I am batting ........ and gone'

 

[Ted123]

Joe Root fails to get another 100. Sigh!
Has converted just 2 hundreds out of the last 15 times he has touched 50.

<B>Is it an inability to concentrate for long periods?</B> Or just bad luck?

He has this issue. Its obvious why he has so many fifties as compared to hundreds.

He will average 40+ in all countries after 120 tests.

Think he is averaging close to 40 in this series.

 

[Markhor]

The captain needs to start leading from the front with the bat. Can't remember the last time Root scored a decisive knock. His conversion rate has become a punchline, he cannot seem to overcome these lapses of concentration which is a big reason why England are constantly 100-4.

I said when he was appointed that his cheeky chappy personality would be ill suited to deal with the strains of captaincy. Nor do I see a vision for where he wants to take this Test team which lacks balance and certainty over roles. For example:

- We have England's potentially best all round batsman in Bairstow batting at 5 yet still has keeping duties.
- A wicketkeeper in Buttler playing at 7 as a specialist batsman.
- A rookie in Pope thrown to the wolves batting at 4 despite batting at 6 for Surrey.

Nobody knows what's going on with the slip cordon either. If England win the series it'll paper over the cracks.

 

[Robert]

The captain needs to start leading from the front with the bat. Can't remember the last time Root scored a decisive knock. His conversion rate has become a punchline, he cannot seem to overcome these lapses of concentration which is a big reason why England are constantly 100-4.

I said when he was appointed that his cheeky chappy personality would be ill suited to deal with the strains of captaincy. Nor do I see a vision for where he wants to take this Test team which lacks balance and certainty over roles. For example:

- We have England's potentially best all round batsman in Bairstow batting at 5 yet still has keeping duties.
- A wicketkeeper in Buttler playing at 7 as a specialist batsman.
- A rookie in Pope thrown to the wolves batting at 4 despite batting at 6 for Surrey.

Nobody knows what's going on with the slip cordon either. If England win the series it'll paper over the cracks.

Bairstow
Next cab off the rank
Moeen
Root
Buttler (c)
Stokes
Foakes (w)
Woakes or Curran
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

Add in Pope, Leach and Bess for SL.

 

[the_outsider]

Personally I am very fond of Root. He is a top class batsman, graceful to watch and seems like a nice bloke.

But he is not ready to be captain. If nothing else, a leader should always have a vision. I don't see that. I don't think Root has a vision for his team.

I don't necessarily blame him. It's ECB who failed to identify the right man for the role.

I honestly think Stokes is the best man to lead England. I say that because his attitude reminds me a lot of Kohli and much like him, I reckon Stokes will raise his game with the added responsibility. You need a captain who will always come hard at the opposition. And Stokes lives and breathes competition.

 

[Slog]

Ive never found Root all that.

Esp as captain he has never impressed me. Seems scared to make tough calls and would rather stretch the game and see where it goes than go for the killer punch. His results arent great at this point anyway but now that Cook seems at the end and once Anderson goes he will be exposed even more

As for his batting. Great batsman but once again lacks the killer instinct. English like to include him in the so-called Big 4 but in reality there is only a Big 2 of Kohli and Smith now. I'd even put Williamson over Root

 

[Ab Fan]

He is suited to no.5 position and he should be batting at nothing higher than 4/5, probably 4 only .

Here we look at his average at different batting positions:-

Opener :- 41.7(11 innings)
No. 3 :- 41.4(39 innings)
No. 4 :- 52.5(44 innings)
No.5 :- 73.1(28 innings)

The series vs Australia 2015 came for him when he batted at 5. England need to have one quality batsmen in top 3 who could provide some stability at the top to ensure the weight of expectation doesnt overpower Root because Root is a kind of player who once gets his mental aspect right, can score runs and even hundreds against any attack and in any condition in the world.