Woodster
International Captain
Jason Roy was always going to be under more scrutiny than most Test debutants due to his fantastic achievements with the One-Day side. Plenty of people (generally from countries other than England) were desperate for the chance to over-criticise should he not replicate a Steve Smith-style performance at Edgbaston, which of course was most unlikely, and there could be scope to suggest he fuelled the clamour for criticism with the mode of his dismissals.
His first innings was a dismissal typical of how sides may look to dismiss Jason Roy, the moving ball in that area just outside off stump prompting a hesitant prod. His second effort concluded in a fashion all haters hoped for, an attempt to assert himself on proceedings in a situation that would generally dictate a more cautious approach only for him to wildly miss with a forceful slog off Nathan Lyon.
That said, Jason Roy is different and in my opinion should be treated so. He will inevitably be dismissed in ways not generally associated with opening Test batsmen, yet he will entertain in a fashion rarely ever seen by an Englishman at the top of the order.
This isn’t one-day cricket, to state the obvious, and his biggest challenge will be to get the right tempo to his innings and balance that limited-overs aggression with periods where a more watchful approach may be wise, but we don’t want to change the flamboyance and destructive nature that seems to come so easily to him. He has a match-winning x-factor about his style and his quality, a bar-emptying skill.
England have a habit of turning tearaway quicks into something more orthodox and quite frankly, boring, I sincerely hope we don’t try and do something similar with Roy. We need someone to stand up to a Pat Cummins or a Mitchell Starc or Nathan Lyon, he may need a bit of luck early on (in both his innings and his Test career) but should he get in, he could destroy any attack, but we may need to be patient while he comes to terms with the five-day game.
Yes the ball moves more, yes the pressure is more intense, yes it would have been more beneficial had Roy played more first-class cricket, but he’s not phased by the very best bowlers in the world and has the ability, in my opinion, to excel for England at the top in his own inimitable style. He’ll do that by looking to hit boundaries when the opportunity arises, utilising what can be a very solid defence, and taking full advantage when he’s set.
Roy needs to stay for the entire series and he needs to be backed by England, which I’m sure he will be.
His first innings was a dismissal typical of how sides may look to dismiss Jason Roy, the moving ball in that area just outside off stump prompting a hesitant prod. His second effort concluded in a fashion all haters hoped for, an attempt to assert himself on proceedings in a situation that would generally dictate a more cautious approach only for him to wildly miss with a forceful slog off Nathan Lyon.
That said, Jason Roy is different and in my opinion should be treated so. He will inevitably be dismissed in ways not generally associated with opening Test batsmen, yet he will entertain in a fashion rarely ever seen by an Englishman at the top of the order.
This isn’t one-day cricket, to state the obvious, and his biggest challenge will be to get the right tempo to his innings and balance that limited-overs aggression with periods where a more watchful approach may be wise, but we don’t want to change the flamboyance and destructive nature that seems to come so easily to him. He has a match-winning x-factor about his style and his quality, a bar-emptying skill.
England have a habit of turning tearaway quicks into something more orthodox and quite frankly, boring, I sincerely hope we don’t try and do something similar with Roy. We need someone to stand up to a Pat Cummins or a Mitchell Starc or Nathan Lyon, he may need a bit of luck early on (in both his innings and his Test career) but should he get in, he could destroy any attack, but we may need to be patient while he comes to terms with the five-day game.
Yes the ball moves more, yes the pressure is more intense, yes it would have been more beneficial had Roy played more first-class cricket, but he’s not phased by the very best bowlers in the world and has the ability, in my opinion, to excel for England at the top in his own inimitable style. He’ll do that by looking to hit boundaries when the opportunity arises, utilising what can be a very solid defence, and taking full advantage when he’s set.
Roy needs to stay for the entire series and he needs to be backed by England, which I’m sure he will be.
