When India must have come into the England ODI series, after losing the T20Is 0-4, they perhaps would have seen Jacob Bethell, or a Harry Brook as the main threats to the bowlers; the duo score at a rapid pace and can take away the match away in a spell of a few overs. But then little did they know, that their nemesis would be veteran Joe Root, who is yet to be dismissed by India in this series. The 35-year-old has 175 runs in 2 matches, including 2 fifties, a best of 99 not out..
Joe Root is India’s nemesis
In short, if India can’t dismiss Joe Root early in the Lord’s match on Sunday, let us just consider that the probability of them losing the ODI series increases manyfold. As it is, he relishes batting against the Indians — and his form has been on a different level, where dismissing him has been a big issue.
Getting into the numbers game – Root has played 5 ODIs this year, where he has scored 422 runs with 4 fifties and a ton, at an average of 211. That is because he has only been dismissed twice in those encounters. In fact, his 2025 record only shows that he is continuing from where he left last year. In 2025, in 15 matches, he scored 808 runs at an average of 57.71, with three tons and four fifties.
Though his SR might not be the best, as compared to some of the other batters in the team, but he generally plays that anchor role who bats out all the overs, and whose role is to score runs at a decent pace, if not at a whirlwind speed. That he is still managing well with SRs of 85-90.
Jasprit Bumrah the solution
In short, playing against India in this series has only given him an opportunity to extend his solid record against the team. In 27 matches vs us, he averages over 51 in 27 matches, scoring 1026 runs — scoring three tons and six fifties. Looking at this record, one might wonder, what is the solution to stop Root?
Yes, once again, the answer is Jasprit Bumrah, who has troubled Root quite a bit and dismissed him thrice already in his career. Against Bumrah, Root’s numbers look shoddy – where the batter has only managed to score 74 runs in 88 deliveries, at an average of 24. The strike rate has been 84.
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