England batsman Joe Root agrees two-year contract extension with home-county Yorkshire

Root is hoping to return from a broken thumb later this month and has agreed a new deal until December 2016

England limited-overs batting coach Graham Thorpe (R) talks to Joe Root (L) before the latter was ruled out of action with a broken thumb (Getty Images)

England batsman Joe Root has signed a two-year contract extension to stay with his native county Yorkshire until at least December 2016.

Root, 23, is currently out injured with a badly-broken thumb but is hoping to return for Yorkshire this month, and then for England at the start of their international summer.

His 955 Test runs, since his debut in December 2012, include a top score of 180 as an opener at Lord's in last summer's Ashes.

He subsequently went down the order and then lost his place during England's whitewash in Australia last winter, but signed off with a one-day international century against the West Indies in March - despite having his right thumb broken when he had just a single to his name in that innings.

That blow kept him out of England's unsuccessful World Twenty20 campaign in Bangladesh.

Yorkshire, however, are not expecting to be without Root for long - having identified the LV= County Championship Division One match against Middlesex on April 27 as his probable comeback date.

Of his new deal, Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon said: "We are delighted that Joe has committed his long-term future to the club.

"He is one of the brightest talents in the game and will be part of Yorkshire and England's plans for many years to come.

"His desire to be the best that he can is a perfect example to our young players that if you work hard on your skills and have total commitment, you can achieve almost anything in your profession."

PA