Root Calls for Smart Aggression as England Chase Momentum in 2nd Test

Joe Root remained confident that England is very much in the contest despite a draining day marked by missed chances and an Australian batting effort that rarely eased up. England shelled five catches and allowed Australia to move into a commanding position at 378 for 6, leading by 44 runs, yet Root believes a comeback is possible provided England’s batters “express themselves in the right way” in this must-win second Test.

Root led by example with a superb unbeaten 138, his long-awaited first Test hundred in Australia and the 40th of his career, keeping England’s innings afloat. But the lack of substantial support around him proved costly. Apart from Zak Crawley’s 76 and a late burst from Jofra Archer, too many wickets fell to loose strokes, including Harry Brook’s high-risk 31 that drew sharp criticism from Stuart Broad on Australian radio.

England’s Missed Chances and Australia’s Strong Reply

By stumps on day two, Australia had strengthened their grip thanks to consistent contributions throughout the top and middle order. Jake Weatherald’s 72, half-centuries from Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, and a composed 45 from Cameron Green set the tone before Alex Carey closed unbeaten on 46.

England were made to toil as Australia scored at more than five an over. With Will Jacks unable to make an impact with the ball, the workload on the remaining four seamers grew heavier. They did find some joy under lights with Brydon Carse claiming two wickets in one over, but poor fielding overshadowed those moments. Carse himself grassed a costly chance at short cover off Michael Neser.

"It's clear we weren't our best at that phase of the game," said Root while acknowledging England’s struggles. "But the way that we dragged things back, by managing to take those wickets in a cluster, it shows what the nature of this game can be like, especially with the pink ball."

Root Defends Preparation, Calls for Confidence in the Field

England received criticism for not playing a warm-up match under lights in Canberra before the series. While Root admitted the pink ball behaves differently, he insisted their fielding lapses were not due to a lack of preparation.

"It is different to a white ball," he said. "We get a lot of exposure to [floodlit cricket] in ODI cricket and T20 cricket, but it is slightly different. But you still back yourself. We practice really hard for the five days leading up to it… Unfortunately, it's just one of those days where a few didn't quite stick to hand."

Root stressed the importance of England staying upbeat.

"We've got to make sure we stay confident, we stay up and, when we get those chances later on in the fixture, we're ready to take them."

He remains certain England is still in the fight.

"We're certainly well and truly in this game… We know our best cricket can turn a game very quickly."

England’s Next Steps: Finish the Job, Then Bat Big

Root emphasised that the immediate priority is to remove Australia’s final four wickets early on day three.

"If we get things right in the morning… then we can put ourselves in a really strong position on a wicket which looks like it's plating," he said.

England’s second innings will then become the defining phase of the match. Root pointed out that Australia’s method, positive but selective stroke play, provided a template England must follow, especially against Mitchell Starc, who took 6 for 75 and repeatedly struck in the first over of new spells.

"When we get out there with the bat, with the talent that we have in the dressing room, we can express ourselves in the right way on that surface to go and get a big score, which could be very tricky batting last on that surface."

Root added:

"I've got quite a clear plan how I score my runs… if I do that for long periods of time and make good decisions, I'll be successful."

Meanwhile, Labuschagne reflected on his own innings of 65, admitting his dismissal under floodlights came at the wrong moment.

"I would like to be a bit more resilient … getting out on the stroke of the changeover between day and night was not ideal," he said.

He praised Australia’s foundations at the top:

"The two guys at the top just grabbed that momentum of the game early, and we were almost able to piggyback their momentum, and continue to put pressure on."