England vs India 2021: More Than Anything I Feel We Need To Win This Series First- Joe Root

England skipper Joe Root has put the Ashes series on the back burner for now claiming the team is fully focused on winning the series against India first. Every series is considered as a preparation for the Ashes but Root clarified that their priorities are sorted as of now.

The Ashes series contested between England and Australia is one of the oldest rivalries. While some consider it to be the pinnacle of all battles, Root and co. have their sights set only on the current series against India. The series is level at 1-1 after England’s Headingley win.

“As an England captain, you’re judged slightly on how you perform in Ashes cricket. More than anything I feel we need to win this series first. This is a huge series for us. And then we will turn our attention to Australia,” the 30-year-old skipper said.

With the bat, Root has led the way for his team, top-scoring in every single innings of theirs while blasting three hundreds in as many games. He has already scored 1398 runs in 11 matches during the 2021 calendar year, all coming at an average of 69.09.

“What other people think of me as a captain is irrelevant” – Joe Root

Following the win in the third Test at Headingley, Joe Root became England’s most successful captain in its Test history. He has led his side to 27 wins in 55 matches, beating the previous record held by Michael Vaughan, who had 26 wins in 51 matches.

While his teammate and close friend, Ben Stokes, believes he has rightfully earned the moniker of ‘Greatest England captain’, Vaughan and head coach Chris Silverwood feel that an Ashes win is pretty much mandatory to be worthy of that title. In response, Root stated that he is proud of what he has achieved so far no matter what people think.

“It is something that everyone wants to do, getting to Australia and winning as a player or as a captain. What other people think of me as a captain is irrelevant. My job is to give everything to the team, and if that is not good enough for some people, it is something I have done, and I will be proud of that,” he added.

For now, England will be keen to continue their resurgence when they take on India in the fourth Test at The Oval from Thursday.

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