Joe Root proved many sound judges right yesterday with a composed half-century on his Test debut for England.
The 21-year-old, who grew up watching Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan playing in the same Sheffield Collegiate club side as his own dad, conquered the inevitable nerves in Nagpur and appeared in control throughout his innings of 73.
Root needed to dig in, on a conspicuously low and slow pitch, to joint top-score alongside Kevin Pietersen in England’s 330 all out as they seek to close out a famous series victory.
After James Anderson then took three for 24 as India stumbled to 87 for four by stumps on day two of this final Test.
Root has obvious prospects of starting his international career at the very top as part of the first England team to win a series in India since long before he was born.
England’s new number six began his maiden innings on Thursday, but continued past his first 50 yesterday morning as he and Matt Prior (57) took their stand into three figures.
“It would be wrong to say there’s no nerves when you’re waiting to bat in Test cricket for the first time,” said Root.
“But I’ve got a great team around me, who are very encouraging and very helpful.
“Then once I got in the middle, I was quite relaxed. I’m obviously delighted to get the opportunity, and then to score a few runs is a really good feeling.”
“(I knew I had to) just really work hard and grind it out, because the guys who’d gone in before said it was tough. I had to get my bearings, and stay patient.”
Root’s one regret was that he could not hang on for a debut hundred, having battled so hard for almost five hours.
“I wasn’t really thinking that far ahead … but that’s what you dream of as a kid,” he said.
“It’ll just make me more determined if I get an opportunity in the future.”