In the recent clash between India and England in the ICC World Cup 2023, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir shed light on the significant struggles faced by England's batting lineup. The match saw Rohit Sharma's Team India achieve a resounding victory over the defending champions, England, extending their unbeaten run to six matches and defeating England by a margin of 100 runs.
Rohit Sharma's standout performance with an 87-run knock played a pivotal role in helping Virat Kohli's Team India post a competitive total of 229-9, despite challenging conditions at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. However, on the other side, England's batting lineup, including Jos Buttler and company, witnessed a catastrophic collapse. The pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami combined forces to capture seven wickets, restricting England to a mere 129 runs in 34.5 overs.
Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir, speaking to Star Sports after India's commanding win, highlighted a crucial issue within England's batting lineup. He emphasized that the form of Joe Root, England's premier batter, has been the "most damaging thing" for the team's performance. Gambhir noted, "If you see England’s batting lineup, apart from Joe Root, all the other guys want to play aggressive cricket. It is the form of Joe Root that has been the most damaging thing for this batting lineup because this entire batting lineup revolves around him."
Joe Root, a former England captain, was dismissed without scoring a run by the fiery pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who also claimed the wicket of Mark Wood without any runs on the scoreboard. Root has averaged 28.16 in the tournament, accumulating 175 runs for England across six matches in the ODI World Cup. Gambhir explained, "He was that anchor and glue who could bat from one end, and the rest of the guys could actually play the way they wanted to. The moment Root hasn’t delivered, everyone gets exposed. Not a lot of guys have that ability to absorb the pressure of playing against the seaming and swinging balls."
The words of Gautam Gambhir underscore the challenges England faces in the World Cup, particularly in the absence of Joe Root's stability in the batting lineup. With the tournament unfolding, it remains to be seen how England will address these concerns and attempt to regain their form in the competition.
