England fast bowler James Anderson revealed that the sickness that English camp dealt with before the Test match in Rawalpindi against Pakistan had an impact on the side’s batting linchpin Joe Root even during the five-day encounter.
Anderson disclosed that Root overcame sickness and the viral spread within the English camp to bat and bowl for his team and play his part in their remarkable triumph on Pakistani shores.
Root produced a freeflowing knock of 73 in the second-innings of the Test match as England approached a brave declaration to ensure a result on a docile surface in Pindi. He even put his useful off-spinners to use in England’s quest, delivering 22 overs for the Test match to allow the specialists around him some important breathers between spells.
All that while himself dealing with a bug that got him vomiting from time to time throughout the five-day span, making his life difficult even as the former captain pushed desperately against his body’s will to help England win.
“I can’t really put it into words because it’s hard. It was an awful start to the week. Rooty has been off the field every half an hour puking up throughout the game, which was an amazing effort from him to bat the way he did,”
Anderson was quoted as saying by Perth Now about Root’s bout with illness as England overcame the viral spread and sickness to beat Pakistan on the field.
The bug cut short England’s preparations for the Test match as it confined several of their players to the hotel rooms, forcing them to tamper with their balance and make changes.
Root was one of the players down with the bug but managed to go through a practise session on the eve of the game, apart from attending a press conference.
There were major on-field discomforts on display but Anderson confirmed Root was “puking“ from time to time during breaks and taking necessary medical help to keep himself fit for the Test match in an admirable effort for the larger goal that saw England attain a 1-0 lead in the historic three-match series.
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