Joe Root salutes Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma's legacy: 'They changed the goalposts'

England cricket team">England cricket team">England cricket team">England great Joe Root lauded Virat Kohli after guiding England to a series-levelling win over India in the second ODI. Chasing a target of 234, Joe Root bailed England out of trouble and led England to a four-wicket win. Root missed out on a century and remained unbeaten on 99. Big hitters dominate white ball cricket these days, but players like Root and Virat Kohli are also significant to success, and Root proved that by single-handedly leading the team to a win.

When asked how players like him, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill, understand the tempo of a 50-over inning, Root said that the format allows players more time to think and absorb pressure initially. He added that having more gears in the game makes players better in the long run.

Asked how players like himself, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill understand the tempo of a 50-over innings in an age where strike rates dominate conversations, Root stressed the importance of reading the game rather than rushing through it.

“Be brave in the sense that you can absorb pressure in this format. Often you’ve got so much more time than you think,” he said, adding that “the more gears you can have, it’s going to make you a better player in the long run.”

Root then lauded Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for setting a benchmark in white-ball cricket. He said the players no many players in the world have been able to do what Rohit and Kohli have done over the years.

“They’ve moved the bar and changed the goalposts for everyone. They’ve continually done things that not many other players have been able to do,” Root said.

Root said that watching Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli bat has also helped him evolve as a player.

“I’ve watched them play, and you try and learn and see how they read the game and how they take on different situations and play different passages of play. A lot of the time they’re miles ahead of it.”

Root also lauded Kohli's game sense and said that he is the best chaser that has ever played the game.

“Virat’s the best chaser that’s ever played the game because he reads what’s happened, he understands what was difficult when he was out there in the field, and then finds a way to combat it when he’s out there playing.”