Root wants to win England Test place ‘whether it means opening the batting or playing at No 6’

YORKSHIRE batsman Joe Root’s remarkable emergence at international level has put him on course to be part of England’s attempt for back-to-back Ashes successes in the next 12 months.
Gary Ballance retires hurt and is helped from the field after being struck in the faceGary Ballance retires hurt and is helped from the field after being struck in the face
Gary Ballance retires hurt and is helped from the field after being struck in the face

There are plenty willing to predict it will be he, rather than incumbent Nick Compton, who walks out to open the batting with captain Alastair Cook in the first Test against Australia at Trent Bridge in July.

The young Yorkshireman insists he has no specific designs on that role, intent instead merely on stating his case for Test inclusion first of all in New Zealand and then at home this summer.

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He can start by augmenting his run of form since making his Test debut at Nagpur in December, if selected for England’s four-day warm-up match against a New Zealand XI in Queenstown this week.

Root lost out to Compton in their tour-match duels in India for the right to replace retired captain Andrew Strauss at the top of the order alongside his successor, Cook.

Compton vindicated that decision with several attritional and worthy innings, including one half-century, and remains in pole position for this series.

There is, though, room for both aspirants in the first of three Tests against New Zealand in Dunedin next week, with Root in the No 6 position he filled so successfully to help England draw the final match in India and complete a historic series victory.

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The 22-year-old has since consolidated impressively, and demonstrated his versatility, with a string of significant one-day 
international contributions in the middle order, where he has yet to be dismissed under 30 after seven innings.

He has long been accustomed to opening in four-day cricket, but will happily bat wherever he is needed for England.

“I just want to play,” said Root. “I’m not really fussed where it is; I just want to try to get in the side.

“Whether it means opening the batting or at six, wherever, I just want to represent England.

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“It’s a fantastic opportunity and I just want to try to take every chance I get.”

He is still pinching himself at the events of the past two months, which have included debuts in all three formats and a part in England’s back-to-back Twenty20 and ODI series wins already in New Zealand.

“Everything’s happened really quickly for me,” said Root. “If you’d told me this would all happen this time last year, I wouldn’t have believed you.

“To contribute to that limited-overs success here is really pleasing for me, and I hope if I get a chance I can do the same in the Test stuff as well.

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“It’s been fantastic to represent England and I’ve loved every minute of it. I just want to keep doing it, whatever the format, and play as much as I can.”

One thing Root will not be doing is getting ahead of, or above, himself. His unfussy assurance, belying an uncannily youthful appearance, has been the hallmark of an early entrance on the world stage.

The chance of Ashes glory will be at the back of his mind, inevitably, but he must start by excelling against New Zealand.

“It’s obviously a big year,” he said. “But this is a big series for us.

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“We’ve come here wanting to make sure we win all three competitions. They’ve got some really good players and they definitely should not be taken lightly, and we won’t be doing that.”

If all goes to plan, though, Root knows as well as anyone he could even have two Ashes series victories on his CV by his next birthday on the penultimate day of 2013.

Root’s Yorkshire team-mate, Gary Ballance, hit a spirited 73 before retiring hurt having been struck on the head by a bouncer from Alister McDermott, and his knock failed to help England Lions stave off defeat against Australia A as the tourists were beaten by 45 runs in their fourth unofficial one-day international at the SCG.

Australia made 285-8 thanks largely to an innings of 109 from 117 balls from opener Aaron Finch.

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Adam Voges also chipped in with 81 as the pair formed a third-wicket stand of 177, while Toby Roland-Jones took 3-58.

England gave it their best, but once Ballance departed the Lions lost their last four wickets for 18 runs to be skittled for 240.