'Needs to be dropped' - England star Joe Root blasted for 'embarrassing' shot amid mega collapse vs India

'Needs to be dropped' - England star Joe Root blasted for 'embarrassing' shot amid mega collapse vs India

WATCH NOW: Sports round-up as Joe Root slammed by fans after dismissal vs India

Lewis Winter

By Lewis Winter


Published: 17/02/2024

- 08:25

England's star batter was unable to have a big impact on day three

Cricket fans have called for Joe Root to be dropped from the England team after what has been described as an 'embarrassing' dismissal on Saturday.

The former captain was out trying to reverse-scoop Jasprit Bumrah before the tourists suffered a horror collapse where they lost their last five wickets for 20 runs.


England started the day on 207-2, with Ben Duckett unbeaten on 133 and Root having just started his innings on nine.

However, in just the fifth over of the morning, Root was dismissed by Bumrah, who is becoming a nemesis for the Yorkshire batter having now got him out nine times in Tests.

Joe Root

Joe Root has been criticised after the England batter's dismissal against India

TNT Sports

Bumrah has often had Root caught in the slips or has trapped him LBW after drawing him across his stumps.

It was the slips where Root succumbed on Saturday but not in a conventional fashion.

He has often used the reverse-scoop shot since England adopted what has been dubbed as a Bazball style of play.

Root famously attempted the shot on the first ball of the fourth day of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston last summer.

He has had mixed success with the shot but has often gained a good connection and hit the ball over the boundary.

But he wasn't able to do so in Rajkot and could only deflect the ball into the hands of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who held on to a good catch at second slip.

England were 224-3 at the time of Root's dismissal and his score of 18 means he has hit just 70 runs in his first five innings of the series.

Ben Stokes' side would have still harboured hopes of getting near India's first innings score of 445.

But Jonny Bairstow fell for a duck and Duckett was eventually out for a superb 153.

Stokes struck 41 but his wicket with the score on 299 sparked a horror collapse, with England eventually bowled out for 319, 126 runs behind.

Root's wicket was seen by many fans on social media as a game-changing moment.

One X user wrote: "That is just embarrassing. His contribution to this series has been utterly dismal. All time greats contribute the most when their team needs them the most. Is Root in that category? It's not just about numbers."

While another posted: "I love Joe Root as a cricketer. But I think it might be time for him to drop the BazBall stance and focus on his game. He can stand at the crease all day. Just play his game."

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Jasprit Bumrah and Joe Root

Jasprit Bumrah had Joe Root caught in the slips after he attempted a reverse scoop

TNT Sports

And one more wrote: "I’m sorry but playing that shot 20 mins into the day is just plain arrogance and stupidity. Just no need to do it."

Only Alastair Cook has scored more runs in Test matches for England than Root.

But some fans think Root should be axed from the England side amid his poor run of form.

One supporter wrote: "Root needs dropping.. costing the team with the bat and with the dropped catches."

Another posted: "Root needs to be dropped until he cuts out these ridiculous shots and goes back to what got him thousands of runs.

Joe Root

Joe Root didn't get enough on the shot and could only deflect it to slip

TNT Sports

"Not everyone has to be a bazballer. Because of him England are now on the backfoot."

Bairstow has also struggled throughout the series and he didn't get away without criticism.

"Him and Bairstow need dropped," wrote an X user.

While another put: "Muppet, when will he learn. Supposedly our best player - Him and Bairstow close to getting the boot."

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