England’s veteran batsman, Joe Root, has called for his teammates to show greater freedom and confidence on the crucial third day of the second Ashes Test against Australia. The hosts currently hold a 44-run lead in Brisbane, having bowled England out for 334 and then reaching 378 for six. Jake Weatherald, Marcus Labuschagne, and acting captain Steve Smith all contributed fifties to Australia’s strong position.
Root acknowledged that England had an off-day with the ball at times but praised their ability to seize momentum, particularly under the unique conditions of a pink-ball day-night fixture. “It’s clear we weren’t our best at that phase of the game,” Root told reporters. “But the way that we dragged things back, by managing to take those wickets in a cluster, it shows what the nature of this game can be like, especially with the pink ball.”
Root himself was a beacon of resilience in England’s first innings, crafting an unbeaten 138 – his first century on Australian soil and 40th overall. His aggressive partnership with Jofra Archer, which yielded 70 runs from just 9.4 overs, offered a glimmer of hope. Apart from Crawley’s 76, England’s batting unit struggled, with four ducks highlighting the difficulties faced.
Sloppy fielding has been another concern for England, with several catches dropped by Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, and others. Key batsmen Travis Head and Alex Carey were given reprieves due to these errors. Root, however, maintained that the team is actively working on their fielding under lights, despite the challenges. “We get a lot of exposure to [floodlit cricket] in ODI cricket and T20 cricket, but it is slightly different,” he noted. “But you still back yourself. We practice really hard for the five days leading up to it. We made sure we got our work done. Unfortunately, it’s just one of those days where a few didn’t quite stick to hand. We’ve got to make sure we stay confident, we stay up and, when we get those chances later on in the fixture, we’re ready to take them.”
Looking ahead to Day 3, Root is determined to see a positive shift in England’s approach. “We’ve obviously got some more work to do tomorrow, but we’re certainly well and truly in this game. More than anything, we’ve got to come out with a huge amount of energy and positivity. We know our best cricket can turn a game very quickly, so we’ll turn up tomorrow with the right attitude. We know that, if we’re anywhere near our best, then very quickly this game can turn in our favour.”
Root’s strategy involves England’s bowlers striking quickly in the morning session to limit Australia’s lead before the batsmen take charge. “If we get things right in the morning, and go about things as a team in the correct fashion, then we can put ourselves in a really strong position on a wicket which looks like it’s plating,” he said. “It looks like there might be a few cracks to work with later on in the game. But clearly, we’ve got to look at tomorrow morning first and foremost, and get things right there.”
He believes the batting lineup has the quality to respond. “When we get out there with the bat, the quality that we have and the talent that’s in that dressing room can go out there and express themselves in the right way on that surface to go and get a big score, which could be very tricky batting last on that surface.” Root concluded by reiterating his own confident approach: “I’ve got quite a clear plan for how I score my runs. I’ve just got to back myself and understand that, if I do that for long periods of time and make good decisions, I’ll be successful.”