“When you get in, you’ve got to get greedy” - Joe Root provides advice for England batters

England captain Joe Root has urged his batters to get greedy and convert their starts into big scores in the final Test against India at Old Trafford in Manchester. Having lost at The Oval, England are 2-1 down in the series and need to win the last Test to square the series.

One of the major problems for England in the series has been the lack of big knocks from their batters, barring Root. While the England captain has amassed 564 runs in the series, no other England batsman has scored 200 runs. Jonny Bairstow is a distant second with 184 runs.

Asked how England can rectify this flaw in their game, Root said that it is up to the individuals to lift themselves up.

"Guys need to go out and grab theor chances," said Root. "You have got to take that upon yourself; that comes from within. Of course, it also comes from being part of a good partnership, having someone at the other end to work with."

"But ultimately, as a player, when you get in, you’ve got to get greedy. We’ve spoken about that as a side. Can you be the one to go and make that big score and to really put us in a position of strength, be part of a really big partnership?" the England captain added.

Root opined that having clarity about how one wants to go and play is important, as is having a clear understanding of own's game.

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“My mindset is that it is going to take something special to get me out” - Joe Root

Even as most of the other batters have struggled, Root has led from the front with three hundreds. The Oval Test marked the first instance in the series of Root not registering three figures.

Root shared his example of how he overcame a phase where he too was squandering starts, saying:

“I spent long periods of my career where I was very guilty of getting in and getting out. It might happen in the future, but I really hope it doesn’t. What I have managed to do well so far in this year is I know how I want to score my runs." "

I know what my big strengths are, and I just back them completely. I have trusted by decision-making under pressure. When I have got in, I have had that mindset that it is going to take something very special to get me out. Hopefully, that can be infectious and spread to the rest of the batting group,” Root added.

The England captain also noted that any of the batters could inspire the rest of the batting group to elevate their games, saying:

"It just takes that one person to go on and do it. It can very quickly spread like wildfire, feed into the rest of the group, so hopefully that can materialise this week."

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England went down by 157 runs in the fourth Test in Headingley. Set 368 for a win, they crumbled to 210 all out in the final session on the fifth day.