Joe Root happy to be an England 'rock star'

Joe Root said England captain Ben Stokes had urged the side to play like "rock stars" following a record-breaking win over India.

Set 378 for victory in the Covid-delayed fifth Test, more than any other England team have managed and the eighth-highest chase in the 145-year-old format history, the hosts' made a mockery of the challenge during a seven-wicket win achieved with more than two sessions to spare at Edgbaston on Tuesday. 

Root finished on a commanding 142 not out, with Yorkshire team-mate Jonny Bairstow's unbeaten 114 his second hundred of the match and fourth in his last five Test innings.

Root, after compiling his 28th Test century, wiggled his little finger at the England changing room in a reference to a scene from the recently-released Baz Luhrmann movie 'Elvis', about the legendary rock 'n roll star Elvis Presley.

Stokes succeeded Root as captain after the star batsman stood down following a run of just one win from 17 Tests.

But England have struck few bum notes since the appointment of a new leadership pair in Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, with this their fourth win from four matches under the duo following a 3-0 whitewash of Test world champions New Zealand.

"It's about trying to have fun and really relishing every opportunity you get to showcase what you're about and put on a show for everyone," said Root. "It's like being a kid again."

The 31-year-old, a veteran of 121 Tests, added: "I don't think I'll ever be able to feel or look like a rock star but for 10 seconds out there I might have done. That's what the little pinkie celebration was about. Ben watched the Elvis film the other day and he's been doing that all week. It was a little tribute to him."

Root, while essentially an orthodox batsman, said all-rounder Stokes had encouraged him to broaden his repertoire, with a reverse ramp for six off India medium-pacer Shardul Thakur on Tuesday evidence of a growing range of strokes. 

"The Yorkshireman inside me is still saying 'dig in, play straight and get behind it'," said Root, mimicking a forward defensive shot. "Then there's the captain on my shoulder saying 'be a rock star'. So you're fighting between the two of them, sometimes."

Under Stokes and McCullum, England have now won four Tests in a row and have done that by chasing above 270 in each game. "I think once you've done it once, you know you can do it and you prove to yourself you can. It does make it that little bit easier. It makes it a little bit more believable.

"I imagine there will be sides around the world looking at the way that we've been playing and feeling a little bit intimidated by what we're capable of doing. You don't want to be too into what other teams are doing and how they're approaching things. But again, that can only breed more confidence within you and you think sides could be very wary of what you're capable of."

Talking about England's new approach, Root said: "It's scripted out how you need to play in Test cricket. Sometimes being unpredictable is very difficult to bowl at. Sometimes the gaps look bigger, and you know where the ball is going to be because of generally how sides bowl for long periods of time.

"For me, it's about making good decisions for long periods of time. There have been occasions this summer I might have played some unusual shots, if you look at the history of Test cricket. But they've felt like pretty low-risk options in the moment. I guess it's just trying to manage the game more."

(With inputs from AFP)