![]() He was equally influential in limited-overs cricket where England's commitment to fearless cricket after their 2015 World Cup was much to his tastes, his crispness of stroke and shrewd judgment enabling him to bat purposefully around batsmen of greater weight of shot. ![]() Early expectations that he would establish himself as an opener did not materialise as an expansive game increasingly seemed better suited to No. Slight of build, perky of shot and with a scampish grin that got under a bowler's skin, by the time Root was appointed Test captain he had rattled up 53 Tests within five years with an average top side of 50, comfortably the highest among contemporary England players. He was rare among England batsmen in achieving maturity so quickly, and had looked consumed by the delights of batting from the moment he first took guard. ![]() It was understandable that there were a few fears for Root's future workload. The accolade everybody anticipated became his three years later, when Alastair Cook stood down after the 2016-17 tour of India. ![]() That Joe Root would one day captain England was taken as read when he hit the grand old age of 23. ![]()
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