JUNE 6, 2022
Joe Root looked a class apart in the Test series opener against New Zealand as he became only the 14th batter in the history of cricket to scale the mountain of 10,000 runs in the longest format of the game. England were in a spot of bother in their chase of 277 as they had lost their first four wickets with just 69 runs on the board.
However, former skipper Root and current captain Ben Stokes bailed England out of trouble. While Stokes departed soon after scoring his half-century, Root carried on and took the side over the line.
Joe Root joins the game’s greatest pic.twitter.com/jD6LYAZHza
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 5, 2022
A video of Root standing at the non-striker’s end has gone viral on social media and fans are stunned to see what the 31-year-old managed to pull off.
In the short video clip that is doing the rounds on social media, Root’s bat could be seen standing on its own and it has led to a lot of reactions as fans are shell-shocked to see the magical trick by the former England skipper.
Watch the video here:
I knew @root66 was talented but not as magic as this……. What is this sorcery? @SkyCricket #ENGvNZ pic.twitter.com/yXdhlb1VcF
— Ben Joseph (@Ben_Howitt) June 5, 2022
While some called it sorcery, others labelled it as black magic. Here are some of the best reactions to Root’s magical ‘balancing act.’
The thing of wizards! https://t.co/Frv3oUz43Z
— Duncan Paveling (@Bostondunk) June 6, 2022
His bat has flat bottom.
But also, I can confirm that he is a magician, it is evident from yesterday’s match. Such class ! https://t.co/WcGxACCK5Z
— Vinay Telangana (@ClanTelugu) June 6, 2022
I genuinely cannot explain this, what? https://t.co/LYaaNmrgbo
— BN | (@newcombe_brett) June 6, 2022
Black Magic Bc
Ban root @ICC https://t.co/XojDoAQcvt
— Jayant (@paandeyyyy) June 6, 2022
Root has a bat.
The bat has roots. https://t.co/oKXWPHqVlG
— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) June 6, 2022
Stokes has had it since CWC’19 final. Now Joe Root also has it.
“The Bat of God.” https://t.co/WZaAlNNJ6j
— Vinit (@DrVKGothi) June 6, 2022
There might be no explanation to Root’s balancing act but the 31-year-old certainly proved himself as one of the all-time greats. Root’s batting masterclass at the ‘Home of Cricket’ gave England 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series.
Root was sacked as the captain of England’s Test side after disappointing results in India and in the West Indies. After the match, Root acknowledged that when he was the captain Ben Stokes won many games for the team and it was now his turn to give it back to him.
“Ben has won many Tests for us when I was captain, it’s a great chance for me to give it back to him. so I just want to keep batting as long as I can, win as many games for my side. As long as I have got the energy and drive to do it, i will do it. I could not have wished for a better person to be leading this team (Stokes). I am gonna be backing and do everything I can to help him become successful,” Root said at the post-match presentation.
