Selfish and selective Joe Root savours long-awaited return to form

The England captain scored a hundred for the first time in 13 months to suggest, as Vithushan Ehantharajah writes, that a return to his best could well be on the horizon

England captain Joe Root celebrated his 18th Test century (ECB)

It’s been 13 months since Joe Root’s last Test century. The knock then, of 226 in Hamilton against New Zealand, was hoped to be the start of a stellar run of form for the England captain. Though it did not manifest as such in 2020, his 168 not out in his first innings of 2021 suggests that overdue streak might be back on the cards.

An 18th Test hundred has England in a commanding position in the first Test, as they ended day two at Galle with a lead of 185 over Sri Lanka. With the help of Essex’s Dan Lawrence, with 73 on his international debut, the host’s spin attack was picked apart on a surface skewed towards them.

Not that you could tell by the ease at which Root defended off the back front and attacked off the front. Or how he swept behind and in front of square. According to CricViz, he now averages 65.10 against the spinners, more than Alastair Cook (52.79) and Kevin Pietersen (49.89), the only two who both have more than his 3,125 Test runs against the turning ball. Such form bodes well for a winter that includes a second Test at the same venue followed by a four-match series in India.