Joe Root believes win over Pakistan is âfirst step towards their goalâ
Joe Root believes that the win over Pakistan is the âfirst step towards their goalâ and insisted that the win should not âpaper over the cracksâ when it comes to Englandâs form in Test cricket. England defeated Pakistan in the second Test match at Headingley and leveled the two-match series at 1-1.
After losing the first match at Lordâs by 9 wickets, England captain, Joe Root, saw his side end their disappointing spell in the Test matches with a win against Pakistan in the second Test match at Headingley on Sunday and
Now, England will play their next Test match against India later in August and till then they would be focusing on white-ball cricket as they begin the run-in to next year's World Cup on home soil. Root insisted that the team should not forget about their weaknesses regardless of the win and should continue this form in further matches as well. Â
"It's very important we don't paper over the cracks and think this is going to be us (sorted out) forever. We have to make sure we don't find ourselves in those positions like last week (at Lord's). It could potentially be the start of something...It's now about replicating it more consistently," Root told reporters, quoted by TOI.Â
Root stated that he was thrilled by the victory and insisted that the win could be their first step towards their goal of becoming a dominant Test side.Â
"I'm thrilled to bits. (But) we know we're not the finished article -- this is the first step towards our goal," he added.Â
Before this match, England had lost six of their previous eight Tests and drawn the other two. This winless streak led to questions over whether head coach Trevor Bayliss should remain in charge of the Test side or not. But Root said the coach was an "easy target" for criticism. England outclassed Pakistan at Headingley and won the match by an innings and 55 runs. After making a healthy score of 363 in the first innings, England bowlers made full use of what became bowler-friendly conditions to dismiss Pakistan for just 174 in their first innings and then for 134 in the second innings.
Stuart Broad was the pick of the bowlers and ended with match figures of six for 66. Jos Buttler, who was recalled as number seven specialist, was