"Not possible to keep going game after game" - Graham Gooch insists Joe Root needs support from other England batters

Former England skipper and opener Graham Gooch has dissected England's batting problems in the recent past amid Joe Root's ominous form. Graham Gooch remains confident the England captain can maintain his run-scoring spree, but is bound to feel the pressure as time goes on.

Joe Root has been in impressive form in Test cricket this year. The 30-year old averages 67.21 in ten Tests in 2021, scoring more than 1200 runs. Root has also kept England's batting afloat across innings in the ongoing Test series against India. However, that has not prevented India from going 1-0 up in the series after winning the second Test at Lord's.

Graham Gooch remains adamant that Joe Root feels the pressure as England's current batting line-up revolves around him. Even though Gooch backs him to keep his form going, he understands every player undergoes a fallow period. Hence, the Essex-born former cricketer feels Root cannot keep on producing one marathon innings after the other.

"Whatever he says, Joe will be feeling the pressure because at the moment he's 50, 60, 70 per cent of our batting, isn't he? Can he keep this form going for the rest of the series? Of course, he can. He's a world-class player and he's performing unbelievably. He can keep it going. But of course, with any performer in any sport, there is going to be a fallow period. It's not possible to keep it going game after game after game," Gooch stated as quoted by Daily Mail.

Joe Root moves up to the second spot in the latest batting rankings 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Qu31VcM2kn

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) August 18, 2021

---

When I became captain, it spurred me on for the best period of my career: Graham Gooch

Graham Gooch. (Credits: Twitter)

Graham Gooch further admitted England are over-reliant on Joe Root, claiming he experienced the same as well. The 68-year old feels one could be in the best form of their life, but needs others to step up every now and then. Gooch revealed that as captain, it also motivated him to give his best every time.

"We're too reliant on one person. I have had that experience and that's not a complaint but at certain stages of my career there was a greater responsibility on having to deliver. As a player, you can be in the best form of your life but you can't deliver all the time and that expectation is not helpful. You need everyone to contribute. When I became captain, it spurred me on for the best period of my career,"

England and India will clash in the third game of the series from the 25th of August in Leeds. The hosts will require a herculean effort to avoid going down 2-0 against a charged up Indian team.

Hello and welcome to the Headingley Stadium, Leeds. Our venue for the 3rd Test against England.#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/H16mwNpXBs

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 22, 2021