Tongue says Root’s message hit home as England eye Test series win against Pakistan

WEB DESK: England will look to secure their first Test series victory in almost two years and shift the focus back to cricket when they face Pakistan in the second Test at Lord’s, starting Thursday.

England’s emphatic innings-and-103-run victory in the first Test at Headingley marked the beginning of Joe Root’s second stint as Test captain. However, his return to leadership has been overshadowed by another off-field disciplinary issue, leaving Root frustrated as he addressed the media on Tuesday.

Root said he was “hacked off” after videos on social media appeared to show England fast bowler Brydon Carse in handcuffs being spoken to by police officers on Saturday outside a nightclub in Derby.

He was subsequently dropped from the squad for the second test.

Fast bowler Josh Tongue said Root’s firm talk had resonated with the players.

“It was a chat that was needed, a very good chat from Rooty,” the 28-year-old Tongue told reporters on Wednesday.

“He’s been around the England dressing room for plenty of years now, he knows what it takes to be the top professional and I think we’ve just got to do the best we can moving forward.”

“I think we’ve just got to make sure we’re as professional as we can be. Obviously things have happened and we need to try and move on from them to show all the youngsters growing up wanting to play for England that it’s an amazing place to be,” Tongue added.

Off-field ill-discipline

England have won three and lost six of their nine tests since last October — a period marked by ill-discipline off the pitch including white-ball captain Harry Brook fined $41,000 for an altercation with a bouncer in Wellington, and reports of a booze-fuelled mid-series break during the Ashes in Noosa.

Former test captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson broke a curfew after the first test win over New Zealand this year and were dropped for the next match.

Victory at Lord’s would help turn the focus back on cricket and England will be strong favourites as they are likely to field an unchanged team from Headingley.

Tongue and Ollie Robinson took eight wickets apiece in the first test as Pakistan’s batting crumbled but Root is expecting a sterner test with the touring side hopeful that captain Babar Azam will return from a finger injury.

“We know the individual brilliance that lies within that team and what Pakistan are capable of collectively,” he said. “We also know that whenever we play anyone at Lord’s, they generally raise their game. This (England) group won’t be taking anything for granted.”