IND Vs ENG, 4th Test: Joe Root’s Hunger And Drive Sets Him Apart, Says Ollie Pope

Ollie Pope lavished high praise on Joe Root after the former England captain delivered yet another masterclass, scoring a magnificent 150 and becoming the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket on Day 3 of the fourth Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test at Old Trafford.

Root’s century, his 38th in the longest format, was the centerpiece of England’s commanding performance as they piled up 544/7 to take a hefty 186-run lead over India.

“I think it's his hunger and his drive,” Pope told Sky Sports. “You look at all the batters in the changing room and everyone has picked up something from Joe, not necessarily technically but more the way he goes about his cricket and his training. He is an annoyingly good bloke as well — the way he is with the fans, he is a role model for the next generation coming through. There is a lot we can learn and like from him.”

Root combined composure with surgical precision to overtake the tallies of Jacques Kallis, Rahul Dravid, and Ricky Ponting on his way to becoming the second-highest run-scorer in Test history, with only Sachin Tendulkar ahead of him. He shared a crucial 144-run stand with Pope, who contributed a solid 71 before falling to Washington Sundar post-lunch.

Former England pacer Stuart Broad also hailed Root’s brilliance. “He [Root] played beautifully today to go past Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting [and become the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket], bringing up another hundred that he will hope wins the game,” Broad said.

“I was out for dinner with him last night and he was incredibly relaxed, enjoying his cricket, and there are certainly no signs of him stopping. He has a huge hunger for scoring runs.”

Ben Stokes, battling cramps, added an unbeaten 77 to bolster England’s advantage, while Liam Dawson remained not out on 21. Despite some resistance from India’s bowlers — Sundar’s twin strikes of Pope and Harry Brook, a sharp stumping of Root by Dhruv Jurel off Jadeja, and late wickets from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj — the visitors were left reeling after conceding over 500 runs for the first time since 2021.

Root’s landmark day also included crossing 150 for the 16th time in his Test career and surpassing Ricky Ponting’s tally of 13,378 runs with a deft single off Anshul Kamboj. As the Old Trafford crowd erupted in chants of “Roooot,” England’s dominance grew, leaving India with a massive uphill battle heading into Day 4.