Joe Root defends shot selection after reverse-scoop furore

England linchpin Joe Root says that he stands by the way he batted during England’s third test defeat to India, including his hotly-debated decision to try a reverse scoop off the bowling of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.

In the third Test in Rajkot, England were sitting pretty at 224/2 in reply to India’s 445 on day three. To make matters worse for the hosts, frontline spinner R Ashwin had to leave the match that day to attend to a family emergency, leaving England with a golden chance to consolidate their advantage.

However, England collapse after Root’s dismissal, when he perished attempting a reverse scoop against Bumrah, edging the ball to slip. The batter’s choice of shot at that point was criticized, but he sought to defend himself in the Sky Cricket Vodcast hosted by pundits Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain. He also clarified that the ball stayed a bit low, which was why on this occasion he miscued the innovative shot that has brought him a lot of success in the recent past.