HIS smiling face and boyish looks capably mask the ferocity that Joe Root’s batting unleashes in an elegant manner. An unending hunger drives his run-machine as India found out in a profound manner in Chennai when the England captain effectively shut the victory door for the hosts with a gritty and masterly double hundred. The first Test will now head either to an English victory or a draw but before the end result comes Root has marked a place for himself among the modern day batting greats.

 

His milestone Test has been owned by the Englishman in an imperious style as he became the only man to score a double ton while playing his 100th Test. Root’s place among the current best batsmen in the world was never in question. He sits in the same league as India’s Virat Kohli, Australia’s Steven Smith and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson. All are master crafters with their own style of batsmanship. Root’s unassuming style makes him a less celebrated or less talked batsman but the numbers he has produced in his nine-year career should make the world sit and hand him the place among modern day greats with a deserving celebration. As the third highest run-getter for England in Test cricket, Root has already secured his ‘Sir’ honour. And the hunger to get more has put him on course to become the top scorer for his country, which will be the perfect ending to the Root story. Any batsman’s greatness is measured by his overseas exploits, for, those are the places that bring in peculiar challenges with their environment and nature of wickets.

 

Among the tricky venues that test the mettle of a player are the sub-continent grounds. And this is the region where Root has earned himself all the brownie points. In fact, he made his debut in the sub-continent, playing his first Test at Nagpur in 2012. The first outing had shown glimpses of greatness, as acknowledged by another fine English batsman Kevin Pietersen. At the non-striker’s end when Root walked in to bat, Pietersen was convinced that he was made for the pantheon of all-time greats.

 

 

The latest string of hundreds on sub-continent pitches has closed all arguments about Root’s place now. He landed in India with a hundred and a double century that sealed a series victory in Sri Lanka. That his double hundred in Chennai was the first by a visiting batsman against India in last 11 years tells the enormity of his effort. It was Brendon McCullum back in 2010 to breach the Indian bowling for a double ton. Root’s double also came against a fine attack entering the game on the back of their greatest series victory. All these factors add a special glitter to Root’s effort in Chennai. Most pleasing part of Root’s journey so far is his willingness to learn. He has learned to bring ruthlessness in demanding circumstances with technical change to his batting but it is never a show of uncalled for aggression. It is always a calculated and thoughtful execution of a plan. And this added serenity to his batting is the highlight of the Englishman’s career. Root has many more innings left in him before he calls a day. It will be a pleasing last lap for the batsman who has shifted gears with immaculate smoothness.