Joe Root was hailed as England’s greatest ever batter last week, after surpassing Alastair Cook as his country’s record run-scorer with a stunning innings of 262 against Pakistan, taking his total to 12,664.
Here, some of those who have watched Root blossom share their memories of England’s run machine with Mail Sport’s David Coverdale and Aadam Patel.
NASSER HUSSAIN
Former England captain
My favourite memory of Joe was when he impersonated Bob Willis when being interviewed by Ian Ward in the Trent Bridge dressing room after England regained the Ashes in 2015.
Joe and the England team had obviously been watching Bob on The Verdict during the series. When the camera panned up to the dressing room and Root was sat there in a mask, I thought, ‘Where is this going?!’. But the moment Wardy asked him a question, Joe did his Bob impersonation and we saw just what a cheeky character he is away from the middle.
England star Joe Root was hailed as the nation’s greatest ever batter after making history against Pakistan
Joe Root used Nick Compton’s camera in his absence as England’s players mirrored its owner’s pose – Joe Root, Jimmy Anderson, Matt Prior, Monty Panesar, Steven Finn, Graham Onions, Alastair Cook, Eoin Morgan, Graeme Swann
Nasser Hussain’s favourite memory of Joe was when he impersonated Bob Willis in 2015
It was quite a brave thing to do, but Joe does not take himself too seriously. That same series, he was giggling his head off when Alastair Cook got hit in the private parts at slip.
He has a real cheeky sense of humour, which we all enjoy when we see him around the traps.
Joe is a great player, but he doesn’t go around telling you he is a great player. He is just a down-to-earth, normal lad and that comes across in moments like that one at Trent Bridge.
NICK COMPTON
Former England opener
Me and Joe were the two newbies in the squad for the 2012 tour to India, where we both made our debuts.
With Andrew Strauss having just retired, the other opening spot alongside Alastair Cook was up for grabs and I’m glad the selectors made a good long-term decision by choosing me to open because the other guy went on to become one of the all-time greats.
Root was 21 at the time and I recall a cheeky little chap who was full of confidence, but with such humility and a desire to learn. The pair of us would spend as much time as we could sticking to Kevin Pietersen in the nets and when Rooty made his debut in the last Test in Nagpur, you just knew he was here to stay.
We only needed a draw to win the series and the way he played the likes of Ravi Ashwin, Ravi Jadeja and Piyush Chawla off the front foot and back foot was just outstanding. He got 73 and we were all watching and marvelling.
I must admit that I had a little bit of jealousy seeing him do so well because he made it look easy.
Of course, I didn’t think there and then that he’d go on to break all these records, but his insatiable appetite to score runs was always there.
In the dressing room, he is such a character too. I love my photography and always take my camera on tour. The lads had seen this picture of me modelling with my shirt off from a couple of years before and had made some fun out of it. Anyway, after scoring my first half-century for England in Kolkata, I went to do the press conference at Eden Gardens.
I came back and was going through the camera in my hotel room and Joe had put the camera on a self-timer and got the boys to replicate it!
Nick Compton made his debut on the same tour as Joe and he was always eager to learn
JACK BROOKS
Played with Root for Yorkshire and England Lions
I first got to know Joe playing for the England Lions in the 2011-12 winter. I just remember him as the Milky Bar Kid because he looked so young.
When I joined Yorkshire in 2013, he was very welcoming. All my family are in Oxford so I used to drive up and down the M1 a lot and Sheffield is on the way to Leeds.
One Sunday afternoon in February 2017, I told Joe I was driving past Sheffield and he told me to drop in at his house. His whole family was there. It was his mum or dad’s 50th birthday and they were drinking champagne. I was like, ‘Sunday session at the Roots’, but everyone was also a bit sheepish.
I remember Joe went out and took a call and came back in with a grin on his face. About 10 minutes later, the family said to me, ‘We are not just celebrating the birthday, Joe’s been offered the England captaincy’. He had just taken a call to have it confirmed.
I must have been one of the first people outside his family and immediate people to know he was going to be England captain, which was a bit surreal. I also remember when I got my 400th First-Class wicket against Surrey at the Oval, he gave a speech in the changing room afterwards and I remember thinking, ‘This guy is impressive with how he speaks and holds himself’. He is the same classy bloke he has always been.
Joe is a classy bloke with the way in which he speaks and holds himself
DAVID LLOYD
Former England coach
My favourite memories of Joe are not of him playing cricket, but playing golf.
I played with him a few times around the world when I was with Sky Sports and got to see just how grounded he is and able to switch off.
I have known players who would go back to their room, take their bat and hit a ball against the wall. But Joe can relax and I think that is a great ability for any sportsperson.
He is able to have a family life and go out with his friends. One of my memories of him going out with his mates was when he got in a bit of a fracas with David Warner in 2013!
I also remember a wonderful line from his younger days, when I asked him, ‘What are you doing tonight?’ and he replied, ‘I’ve got to look after Ben Stokes!’. I thought that was great. He is just unbelievably level-headed, always polite and up for a chat.
My favourite memories of Joe are of him playing golf – he is able to relax and switch off
JONATHAN TROTT
Former England batsman
I played with Joe in the early years of his international career and I remember a cheeky guy, but someone who was obsessed with getting better the whole time.
That’s the way for a young player to be — to be respectful, but to also have that bit about you so you’re not pushed around.
I thought he was talented from the start, but a lot of the attributes to get to where he is now come from inside — a bit like Cook really. There’s no divine right in this game and that’s what makes the greats who they are, because they find another level.
I’ll never forget his debut in Nagpur because for a debutant to know your game and stick to it in the way he did on that track was seriously impressive. We knew instantly he was here to stay.
Since retiring, I’ve worked with him at England and the Trent Rockets and we have very different theories on batting — he’s about playing the ball late, whereas I’m more about footwork, but I still love talking cricket with him.
To go back in the ranks after leading is a lot tougher than you’d think. He never thinks he knows more than anyone else and is always willing to impart his knowledge to the next generation.
Like Cook (left), a lot of Joe’s attributes to become successful came from inside
Jonathan Trott has worked with him at England and the Trent Rockets and we have very different theories on batting
Batting with Joe was a joy because we were both relaxed – he’s funny and caring
MOEEN ALI
Former England all-rounder
Batting with Joe was such a joy because we were both so relaxed in the middle and we’d just crack jokes, but you knew how much he valued his wicket.
I’ll always remember his first game as England captain. It was at Lord’s against South Africa and he played unbelievably well, hitting 190. We put on 177 for the sixth wicket.
As a person he’s always been funny, but also caring, with such empathy. Even though he’s rarely out of form, Joe knows how hard batting for England is and he was always there for me and others when we were struggling. He’s still got that love for batting, which is why he will go on and on.
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