Root v Kohli in England v India 2018

[CricAddict]

Root doesn't have a Test century in over a year. Don't see how the Big/Fab 4 is still a thing.

The only active players in the world who have played decent number of tests and average over 50 currently. Yes, it is still a thing.

 

[TheJediBrah]

What does Root have to do from now to have won this battle?

 

[Starfighter]

What does Root have to do from now to have won this battle?

A second innings double now followed by a triple at the Oval, and Kohli can't pass 50 in any of his remaining innings.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Root has really regressed. I don't see many people saying ''he could be the greatest of all'' - sticking him on top 10 lists with Hobbs, Sutcliffe, Hutton and Hammond - any longer. The comparison seems insulting to those great century-makers.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

A second innings double now followed by a triple at the Oval, and Kohli can't pass 50 in any of his remaining innings.

Na, matchwinning ton in 2nd innings and a ton in the last test would do it. Provided Kohli didn't get another ton himself. People are forgetting the score Root got in the first test which helped given it was a low scoring match in the end.

 

[Starfighter]

Kohl's 294 runs up in the series. That's a big margin.

 

[StephenZA]

Na, matchwinning ton in 2nd innings and a ton in the last test would do it. Provided Kohli didn't get another ton himself. People are forgetting the score Root got in the first test which helped given it was a low scoring match in the end.

Kohli got some runs in that match as well.... I mean Kohli single handedly kept his team in that match.

Of course Root could score big in his next 3 innings and Kohli could be terrible but that seems unlikely at this stage.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Kohli is so far ahead of Root the comparison is laughable.

 

[Borges]

Root has had just five poor innings in a row, after a good one in the first test. Nothing to worry about, as yet.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Root has really regressed. I don't see many people saying ''he could be the greatest of all'' - sticking him on top 10 lists with Hobbs, Sutcliffe, Hutton and Hammond - any longer. The comparison seems insulting to those great century-makers.

Joe Root - current age 27.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Root has had just five poor innings in a row, after a good one in the first test. Nothing to worry about, as yet.

Had a poor summer after 4 or 5 good ones in a row. If he has a poor winter and is no good next summer then we worry.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Had a poor summer after 4 or 5 good ones in a row. If he has a poor winter and is no good next summer then we worry.

I've maintained for a while that what's worrying about Root is that he's just not had a stretch where he's really dominated and piled up a mountain of runs like Smith and Kohli have in the past 3 years. Root has had 3 merely 'good' seasons in a row as you've said, averaging 40-50. And during the majority of this run he's been in superb nick and not taking advantage.

That's not a hallmark of a truly great batsman imo. He could very well turn this around and dominate the next few years but it should be a matter of concern since he's England's best and most important batsman by a country mile.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Joe Root - current age 27.

At precisely the age he should be peaking.

 

[vcs]

I've maintained for a while that what's worrying about Root is that he's just not had a stretch where he's really dominated and piled up a mountain of runs like Smith and Kohli have in the past 3 years. Root has had 3 merely 'good' seasons in a row as you've said, averaging 40-50. And during the majority of this run he's been in superb nick and not taking advantage.

That's not a hallmark of a truly great batsman imo. He could very well turn this around and dominate the next few years but it should be a matter of concern since he's England's best and most important batsman by a country mile.

Probably a touch harder to average 80 for a stretch while playing home Tests in England, in fairness. But the overall point about failing to convert starts and 50s is valid.

 

[ankitj]

Root has really regressed. I don't see many people saying ''he could be the greatest of all'' - sticking him on top 10 lists with Hobbs, Sutcliffe, Hutton and Hammond - any longer. The comparison seems insulting to those great century-makers.

In other words he had gone down the path of all other English players since Botham that promised a lot but achieved less. And that's sad.

 

[Starfighter]

In other words he had gone down the path of all other English players since Botham that promised a lot but achieved less. And that's sad.

Even Botham didn't achieve as much as he should have. Imagine if he'd kept the weight off post '83.

 

[_00_deathscar]

Probably a touch harder to average 80 for a stretch while playing home Tests in England, in fairness.

He averages about 10% more in England than his career average. He's done poorly in Australia and New Zealand (total of 14 tests), and Bangladesh (2 tests). Well over 50+ everywhere else, including India (53.09), England (55.27) and South Africa (55.14).

Career average currently 50.88.

 

[S.Kennedy]

In other words he had gone down the path of all other English players since Botham that promised a lot but achieved less. And that's sad.

But has there ever been a batsmen as hyped as Root, who in fairness seemed to justify the hype for a period (unlike people like Ramps and Hick)? As I said, people were already hyping him up as one of the greats, discussing him among names like Hobbs and Hammond. Well, that just seems a long way off now.

I'm not arguing he is a ''less than good'', or even ''less than great'' test batsmen by the way - he clearly is very talented - just that we have had to reevaluate him with a larger dose of realism.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Even Botham didn't achieve as much as he should have. Imagine if he'd kept the weight off post '83.

You could have chosen an even earlier year. Botham's '70s bowling stats are Marshall-esque.

 

[Starfighter]

You could have chosen an even earlier year. Botham's '70s bowling stats are Marshall-esque.

I chose the point where his ratings begin to plummet.