Cardiff: Joe Root discusses young batters learning on the job in ODI cricket

By Rohan Gupta — 17 July 2026 — 4 min read

England’s ODI Challenges and Adaptability

Joe Root has highlighted that some England players are currently learning on the job in 50-over cricket, attributing this to a lack of exposure to the format. This situation arises because the One-Day Cup in domestic cricket coincides with The Hundred, leading to the former becoming more of a developmental competition. The collective experience of England‘s top six batters in List A cricket is significantly less than their India counterparts, with a difference of over 400 matches.

Root, at 35, noted that a major challenge for the team and emerging players is the absence of extensive experience and understanding of 50-over cricket. He explained that there isn’t the same foundational grounding at lower levels that exists in other parts of the world, meaning players often have to adapt quickly at the international stage.

In the second one-day international at Cardiff, Root‘s unbeaten 99 guided England to a four-wicket victory. This performance was crucial in tricky conditions, enabling England to level the three-match series against India 1-1. The match saw England successfully chase a target of 234 runs in the 45th over.

The conditions at Cardiff led to a more traditional ODI style of play, contrasting with the aggressive batting often seen from England‘s 2019 World Cup-winning squad. Root‘s innings, much like Virat Kohli‘s 65 for India, focused on strike rotation and punishing loose deliveries, demonstrating the importance of adaptability.

Root emphasised the need for players to be brave and absorb pressure, understanding that they often have more time than they perceive. He stressed the value of having multiple gears in one’s game, acknowledging that while some pitches might be conducive to high scores, players must also be able to perform effectively on challenging wickets.

Key Performances and Series Decider

Root‘s masterclass in chasing saw him remain unbeaten on 99, a performance that also placed him ahead of Virat Kohli in terms of batting average in successful ODI run chases, for players with a minimum of 2,000 runs. He came to the crease early in England‘s innings after Ben Duckett was dismissed for a duck. Root absorbed initial pressure from Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna before taking control of the 234-run chase.

His composed 99 not out off 133 deliveries, which included nine boundaries, was the anchor of England‘s innings. He built important partnerships with Sam Curran, Will Jacks, and Gus Atkinson, ultimately steering the team to victory. Despite missing a century, Root stated that securing the win was the most satisfying outcome, keeping the series alive.

Root acknowledged the difficult batting conditions throughout the match and commended England‘s bowlers for restricting India. The bowlers managed to pull things back after a significant partnership between Virat Kohli (65) and Shreyas Iyer (66) had threatened to set a much higher target. India, after reaching 180/3, experienced a collapse, losing their last seven wickets for 53 runs and being bowled out for 233.

Jofra Archer, with 3/47, and Gus Atkinson, with 3/50, were key performers with the ball for England. Jasprit Bumrah‘s unbeaten 20 helped India cross the 230-run mark. England‘s chase began with a setback as Ben Duckett was dismissed on the first ball, and the team was reduced to 8/2. However, Root‘s innings, supported by Will Jacks (30), Sam Curran (26), and Gus Atkinson (23), ensured the victory, with Atkinson hitting the winning boundary.

England has faced inconsistency in ODIs recently, with the defeat at Edgbaston in the series opener marking their 14th loss in 20 matches. The team is currently eighth in the world rankings and needs to maintain a position within the top nine to secure automatic qualification for the next World Cup in 2027. Root expressed hope that the team would be judged on their recent ability to adapt, citing their series win against Sri Lanka earlier in the year as an example of quick learning and adaptation.

The team’s top order has been a point of concern as they search for a consistent opening partner for Ben Duckett. Jacob Bethell, with only 23 ODIs played, has scored 14 and four in his new role. Root and former captain Jos Buttler are the only remaining batters from England‘s 2019 World Cup-winning squad, with 191 and 201 ODI caps respectively. Root is optimistic that the current group can replicate past successes by developing and understanding various game situations.

The series decider against India is scheduled to be played at Lord’s on July 19.

Source: bbc.com