“The pitch could change overnight” - Joe Root ahead of fourth Test

Stating that the pitch for the fourth and final Test against India is looking very similar to the one in the previous Test, England captain Joe Root claimed that the surface could change overnight.

The pitch has been a major point of debate in the aftermath of the two-day pink-ball Test, with many former England cricketers expressing their displeasure over the surface.

Speaking at a virtual press conference ahead of the fourth Test in Ahmedabad, Joe Root said that he and his team are keen on learning their lessons from the previous defeats in the series.

He stated:

“It (pitch) is looking very similar, as it was two days after the last game. We will see, it could change again overnight. I think the most important thing is that we learn our lessons from the last two Test matches and make sure we are better for it. It is important that if we get into a similar position (to the previous Test) in the first innings, we really make that count. Try and get some scoreboard pressure in the game early on.”

All set for our final Test of the winter 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏏 pic.twitter.com/vNUzih3wSC

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 3, 2021

We have figured out a game plan that suits each individual: Joe Root

Indian captain Virat Kohli has maintained that there was nothing wrong with the pitch for the previous Test and that it was the batting from both sides that let their respective teams down.

Asked for his assessment, Joe Root responded:

"As batters, if you don’t do well, you will always look at yourself and find ways to improve. We have certainly done that. We have looked at a couple of dismissals. How we are going to find ways of building big partnerships and getting some significant scores if it is a similar surface this time round. We have figured out a game plan that suits each individual and, in turn, enables us to get those partnerships, which we know are so important.”

Joe Root revealed that England haven’t finalized their playing XI for the Test yet. He said:

“We’ve got another day to see what the wicket finally looks. We’ll announce the team at the toss.”

💬 "Unfortunate that there’s too much noise about spinning tracks."Ahead of the fourth @Paytm #INDvENG Test, #TeamIndia skipper @imVkohli weighs in on the discussion about pitches. pic.twitter.com/tcra6nj5Ys

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 3, 2021

England won the first Test in Chennai on the back of Joe Root’s magnificent 218 in his 100th Test. However, they have struggled on turning surfaces in the last two Tests, and are 1-2 down in the four-match series.