England captain Joe Root is confident of working his way through a dip in form that has seen him trapped lbw nine times in his last 12 innings, and says his record of more than 14,000 test runs proves he knows how to navigate difficult spells.
England’s leading test run-scorer with 14,208 runs, second only to India’s Sachin Tendulkar (15,921) on the all-time list, has passed 50 only twice during the home summer.
“I’ve played this game a long time, and I’ve always found ways of solving those problems and working it through,” the 35-year-old told BBC on Sunday.
“I don’t see this as being any different. There’s a reason why I’ve got 14,000 runs and a reason why I’ve played the best part of 15 years at this level.”
Root’s comments came after England secured a home test series win over Pakistan at Lord’s where he managed scores of four and 24 before being out lbw in both innings.
The build-up to the second test was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding fast bowler Brydon Carse, who was dropped from the squad following an incident outside a nightclub in Derby.
Root said he had addressed the issue with his players and stressed the need for the squad to celebrate successes responsibly.
“It’s hard to win test matches, it’s hard to win test series. Enjoy it and celebrate it, but in a sensible and grown-up way,” he said.
2026-08-31 18:22:00
