As with any generation, a clique of batsmen belonging to the upper echelons manage to hog the attention wherever they go. The modern-day Rat Pack containing the likes of Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Steven Smith and Kane Williamson has been ordained as the future of versatile batsmanship.
Even though Smith and Williamson are also currently taking each other on in a brief ODI series in Australia, Kohli and Root are engaged in a more nagging duel in the ongoing 5-Test series in India. As with any rivalry, their mutual respect and willingness to learn from each other augurs well for the sport itself.
Labeling Kohli as the difference between the two teams in this series, Root wants to learn from the Indian skipper’s batting ‘lesson’ on dealing with typical subcontinental pitches and make a decisive contribution in the remaining two Tests.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the fourth Test in Mumbai, the 25-year old opened up on the comparisons between himself and Kohli whilst hailing his competitor’s exploits under pressure.
Root quipped, “I think it's (the comparison) always going to be there or at least for the next six months or so while we are in India. But I think the way he (Kohli) plays is a lesson on how to play on these wickets. In this series, he's shown a great level of responsibility – because when he's not got runs, we look like we've been able to take a cluster of quick wickets and when we have got him out, things have changed quite quickly.”
The Yorkshireman added, “There must be a huge amount of pressure on him in that side and he must know that. To score the runs that he has done, I think has been massive for them (if they are to succeed) in winning this series.“
Going into the penultimate Test at the Wankhede Stadium, India enjoy a 2-0 lead with their captain leading from the front. Kohli has scored 405 runs thus far at an astounding average of 101.25 including a 167 and two fifty-plus knocks.
In comparison, Root has managed 299 runs at an average of 49.83 with a 124 and a couple of fifty-plus scores too. But, the major difference between their performance has been Kohli’s knack of stitching together valuable partnerships by not getting out at inopportune times. Nevertheless, the last two matches in the series present an opportunity for the England star to showcase his expertise as well.
A rat race to seize 2016’s batting honours
Root felt, “It was nice to get off to a good start in the first game but twice after I got to 50, I didn't manage to kick on. That's been the last two years in general really. It would be nice if I did get the opportunity to get in over the next two games and go big and make a real good contribution to hopefully a good first inning score to set up a win, or chase something down and do something special out there.”
Aside from the series in itself, the duo is also in a close tussle for becoming the most prolific run-scorer in 2016 across all the three formats. Currently, Root leads Kohli by only 33 runs as the calendar year is hurtling to its end.
While Kohli attracts paparazzi akin to Frank Sinatra in his heydeys, Joe Root's boyish charm and impish grin stand out à la Dean Martin. The Rat Pack of the 2010s era is all set to entertain cricket aficionados in the coming years.
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