It's Just James Anderson And Joe Root Playing Against India - Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen lamented the lack of support from other players to the England captain, Joe Root, and James Anderson in the ongoing Test series against India so far.

Joe Root’s fifty and hundred in the first Test kept England in the game, helping them post a decent target. England would have thanked their stars to escape with a draw in Nottingham as rain played spoilsport.

In the second Test, at Lord’s, James Anderson, who is now the third-highest Test wicket-taker, picked his career’s 31st five-fer to halt India from putting up a big first-innings score. Anderson was terrific at Trent Bridge as well with a four-wicket haul, including wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli on consecutive deliveries.

On Friday, ahead of Day 3, Kevin Pietersen took to Twitter to express his frustration on the overdependency of the side on Joe Root and James Anderson. He pleaded for other players to step up and support the two stalwarts.

“So it’s actually just Jimmy & Joe playing against India at the moment. Someone else needs to stand up! And, STAND UP QUICK!” Pietersen tweeted.

So it’s actually just Jimmy & Joe playing against India at the moment.
Someone else needs to stand up! And, STAND UP QUICK!

— Kevin Pietersen? (@KP24) August 14, 2021

Joe Root inches close to another Test century in 2021 at Lord’s:

On Day 2 of the Lord’s Test, Joe Root became England’s all-time second-highest Test run-scorer as he went past Graham Gooch’s tally of 8900 Test runs. Only one batsman, Alastair Cook, with 12472 Test runs, is ahead of him, and the 30-year-old is likely to eclipse him as well in the coming years.

Once again, in England’s first innings at Lord’s, Joe Root is shouldering the responsibility to stretch his side near India’s total of 364. England lost the top three for 108, and another batting collapse was on the cards.

However, the Yorkshire-born stood tall to halt India’s run through England’s batting line-up. He has looked composed, almost unreachable at times. In support of Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root has ticked off runs quickly on Day 3, and notched up his fifty – his sixth fifty-plus score this year. At Lunch, the English skipper remains unbeaten on 89 and Bairstow on 51 and the hosts trail by 148 more runs.

Also Read: England Are Miles Better Than India At Reviews – Michael Vaughan Says India Need To ‘Bring In Others’ For Taking DRS