"The best ever from England" - Fans hail Joe Root for becoming new No. 1 ranked ICC Test batter

England's star batter Joe Root has toppled Marnus Labuschagne to become the new No. 1 ranked Test batter in the world as per ICC's latest Test rankings. Although England lost the first Test, Root had a brilliant individual performance as his scores of 118* and 46 helped the hosts fight till the end at Edgbaston.

It seemed like the burden of captaincy was holding back Root a little as he has seemed to be a completely different player under Ben Stokes. He has played his shots freely and has got that license due to the Bazball ideology.

Fans on Twitter were thrilled to see Joe Root regain the No. 1 spot in the Test rankings. Here are some of the reactions:

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Kevin Pietersen lauds Joe Root's work ethic

Former England star batter Kevin Pietersen has hailed Joe Root for the hunger and consistency that he has shown in Tests. Pietersen pointed out how Root works just as hard day in, day out even after more than 11,000 Test runs and does not let the hunger for runs extinguish.

He also credited Root's time in IPL 2023 as he feels that may have freed him up to play his shots. On this, Pietersen told Sky Sports:

"The sky is the limit for Root with the brain he has and also his work ethic, which is like none other. With 11,000 Test runs, he could be, 'I've got enough, I could swan around, get a hundred, watch everyone the next morning warm up and play football with the lads'.

"No, no. Every single morning Root is out there wanting to improve. It would have been in those two months in the IPL [with Rajasthan Royals] where those shots would have been ingrained in his game."

Root has also risen to No. 8 among all-rounders in the latest ICC rankings after being handy with the ball as well in Edgbaston.