You will still find old timers swearing by the ‘Old Monk’ from Kalighat to Bandra via C R Park. They are connoisseurs of the drink as a lot of fond memories and history is attached with it. The prince charming of English cricket Joe Root is a player you do not get tired of watching and his supporters love to watch him for his elegance reckons. Ankit Banerjee, who also adds that Joe Root 10 years down the line will be like the ‘cricketing Old Monk.’ [Also Read: Joe Root: Prince Charming of English cricket]
Introducing Root, the Old Monk in times to come
I do understand that it is a tall claim to make considering the talent prospering these days, which not only has the right appetite, but also the game to change the dynamics of cricket. But here is Joe Root, very different in approach but equally effective.
The 25-year old has gone from strength to strength, zeroing-in on his niche in a world of the Gayles and the Kohlis and the ABs. So effective is he that even with his old-school Michael Vaughan-like technique, he has managed to win the hearts of scores. [Also Read: The ‘Root’ of England’s batting line-up]
We have to also dwell deep to the origins of this ‘Root’. He is truly from the old school like the signature Old Monk. He is from Yorkshire, which is known as the hub of English technicians. The great Geoffrey Boycott, Len Hutton, Michael Vaughan and Morris Leyland are a part of the rich Yorkshire club of batting technicians.
So was it easier for Joe Root to succeed?
No-way! Cricket has evolved from generation to generation and to succeed in this era, it was believed that batsmen needed more than the technique to survive at the highest level. It is again like in a world of new wine, whiskey and vodka, ‘The Old Monk’ still survives. Isn’t that vintage?
The Root-ride
His rise to the helm has not been smooth sailing by any stretch of imagination. He seriously had to grind his way to the top with sheer grit and belief. He has Bradmanesque-like numbers since his return to the Test side after he was sidelined following the Boxing Day Ashes Test in 2013. He marked his comeback with an unbeaten double ton. Since then, he has played 17 Tests, scored 1778 runs at 74.08, scoring seven tons. Recently he had climbed to the top spot in the ICC Test rankings and is currently placed at No. 3. [Also Read: Joe Root: The numbers boggle the mind]
ODI ball game:
A lot of times cricket cognoscenti has a pre-conceived notion about a certain players and goes on to brand him as Test or limited-overs specialist. Root has grabbed more headlines for his prowess in the longer format thanks to his staggering career average of almost 55 but his One-Day International (ODI) record is also very dynamic. In 59 appearances, he has notched-up 2076 runs at a handsome average of 42.26 and the bigger bit here is his conversion rate. The prince charming of England has six tons to his name — five of them have in fact come in the 28 ODIs he has played since June 2014. What’s impressive is his strike rate of 83.30.
The short-arm jab
In the T20 arena, Root is again a versatile batter for England; he can drop anchor and be the aggressor at the same time, which is a stand out feature just like the ‘Old Monk’ which can also be carried in jazzy-n-snazzy places. Root isn’t considered to be an IPL property but in the 10 T20Is he has played, he has scored 241 at 41.83 and adding to his willow skills is his more than effective off-spinners.
Captain Root on cards
England, off late, like India and Australia, will be looking at Joe Root as a new, young captain-figure who can sail-off the English ship. Now it is just a matter of time before he is crowned. Probably the England Cricket Board (ECB) will wait for the ‘ripe’ time keeping the transition pangs in mind.
Why Old Monk?
Joe Root, still 24, has more than 10 years of solid, good cricket left in him and the belief is that no matter whoever comes to limelight in the next decade or whoever becomes a maverick great, Root just like the grand ‘Old Monk’ will give a different high and take one to a different zone, named ‘blissful world of cricket’!
(A cricket geek to the tee, Ankit Banerjee smokes and snorts it all day long. The romance with the sport incepted since the 1996 World Cup semi-final. He is a winner of the 2011 edition of the All-India college cricket quiz.)
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