Regardless of format, The Hundred will help our players improve limited-overs setup, insists Joe Root

The schedule for The Hundred, as of now, coincides with that of England’s domestic 50-over tournament. And some of the pundits and fans alike have suggested that the new competition will negatively influence England's competitiveness in ODI cricket as their leading white-ball players will no longer be available for the domestic matches. But Root disagrees and reckons that the benefits of having the youngsters play alongside some of the world’s best is a boon that outweighs any such issues.

"By playing the Hundred, you're exposing our next generation of players to play against some of the best players in the world. Regardless of the format that will be more influential and have more of an impact," Root told ESPNcricinfo.

"Look at the guys in the current white-ball team who have gone off to play in the IPL: they've come back better players for it. I feel the Hundred will have a similar impact on more English players. Not just the top-end guys, but on the next group of players that are on the fringe of the international teams. And, on the back of it, they'll have more opportunity to play elsewhere, too,” he said.

"Of course it's important we look after our 50-over cricket and, long-term, don't let it slide off a cliff. But I don't think playing the Hundred will dilute our chances of winning the next World Cup," Root continued.

However, there is one more suggestion that has gained in strength over the summer, particularly after England’s Ashes struggles. The increased focus on white-ball cricket from the national board (ECB) poses a threat to England’s Test aspirations, and The Hundred, according to many, will only heighten the issue. However, Root believes that the groundsmen, at the county level, simply have to do a better job of creating high-quality surfaces. 

"The key is making sure the wickets for Championship cricket are good. Some of the wickets have not been good enough this season. We have to make sure we're producing wickets that allow guys to get in and make big scores," Root said.

"You want the next group of batters to know what's it's like to score big hundreds; to deal with scoreboard pressure; to bat for two days to stay in a game and earn a dull draw. And you also have to find a way to take wickets - to take 20 wickets - on flat ones. I'd like to see wickets improve. And that ultimately comes down to the counties. I know they're under huge pressure to win but, from a purely selfish point of view, I think it would be really good for English cricket if we saw better wickets next season,” Root added.