Root unmoved by patchy form after England seal Lord's win

Joe Root said he was "not too concerned" about his recent modest returns after England beat Pakistan by 194 runs in the second Test at Lord's on Sunday, adding: "There's a reason why I've got 14,000 runs".

The 35-year-old captain, England's all-time leading Test run-scorer, has passed 50 only twice this summer and carries a home-season average of 29.44, his second-lowest across a 14-year international career; only Sachin Tendulkar has amassed more than Root's 14,208 Test runs. Root has been adjudged lbw nine times in his past seven Tests, including seven occasions this summer.

Asked about his form on BBC's Today at the Test, Root said: "I've played this game a long time and I've always found ways of solving those problems and working it through. I don't see this as being any different. "There's a reason why I've got 14,000 runs and a reason why I've played the best part of 15 years at this level. "Of course it's frustrating that there's sort of a trend. There are probably four umpires' calls within that, which could have gone the other way, and the ball is probably deviating more than it ever has. "You try and be realistic and understand where everything's at, but also be aware of what you need to do to keep improving and keep getting better. I'm pretty sure I'll get through the other side. I'm not too concerned about that."

Root also outlined his work ethic in response to the slump: "You're never given anything in this game," said Root. "You have to work for everything. You have to keep working hard and I'll certainly keep doing that. "You're constantly going to get challenged and you're constantly going to have to look to evolve and learn, but that's never been something I've shied away from and I certainly won't be doing moving forward."

The current run of lbw dismissals traces back to being trapped by Australia's Jhye Richardson in the second innings of the Boxing Day Test; between August 2022 and the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne in December Root had been lbw to seam bowlers only three times. Since the Richardson dismissal he has been given lbw nine times in 12 innings, all to pace bowlers.

The technical issue Root faces has been pinpointed in the coverage as deliveries from right-arm bowlers pitching outside off stump and nipping back in, and none of the nine recent lbws came from bowlers of high pace; those dismissals have come to bowlers with a maximum speed of around 84mph. David Warner previously criticised Root's technique with the comment: "He will have to take the surfboard off his front leg."

Root suggested the condition of the Dukes ball had made batting harder this summer, saying: "The balls have been different this summer. I think there is a different lacquer. They were worried about it going out of shape. They are denting surfaces more." When contacted by the BBC, Dukes denied any alteration to its process.

England's 194-run victory at Lord's secured the series and gave Root a second win in as many matches at the start of his second spell as captain, providing England with their first series victory since 2024. The build-up had been overshadowed by the decision to drop pace bowler Brydon Carse after an incident outside a nightclub in Derby; Root said he was "hacked off" to be dealing with another drinking issue involving an England player and confirmed he had addressed his squad to warn them against a repeat, adding: "It's important that we're not talking about that, absolutely. Enjoy it and celebrate it, but in a sensible and grown-up way."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan backed Root to resolve the lbw problem, saying: "He's always overcome problems and I'm pretty sure he'll overcome this one. "It is an issue because it's happening on a regular basis, but he's had issues in the past that he's managed to come back from. There's no question he'll be fine in time." Vaughan also urged restraint from the squad: "Have a quiet one," Vaughan said. "I don't want to be picking up the paper tomorrow morning or mid-afternoon on social media and seeing a few clicks. You've won a good series, just have a quiet night."