ENG vs IND 2018: Hopefully Now We Can Kick On: Joe Root After Thumping Win Over India
Credits: Getty

Buoyed by the thumping 4-1 win over world number one India in the five-match series, England skipper Joe Root said his team is on an “upward curve”. England wrapped up the England vs India series with an impressive 118-run win in the last Test at The Oval.

Not many would have seen this scoreline before this series started. Both the teams had entered the series with contrasting fortunes in Test cricket. While India had won nine of their last ten series including the 4-0 win against England, the hosts had not won any one of their last three series including one against Pakistan at home at the start of this summer. Not surprisingly, India were ranked one while England were ranked five.

However, the form and past form counted for little as Joe Root & Co. blew away India to win the series. On Monday, the overcame some gritty knocks from KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant to win the game and give their former skipper Alastair Cook a fitting farewell.

ENG vs IND 2018: Hopefully Now We Can Kick On: Joe Root After Thumping Win Over India
We are on an upward curve: Joe Root (England vs India, Credits: Getty)

The 4-1 margin of the series is perhaps not doing justice to the way India fought. However, England would be pleased with the way they won the crucial moments and ended up thrashing the visitors. Delighted with the win, Joe Root said the team is in the right direction. Root, however, is not getting carried away as he said that there are difficult challenges ahead pointing out the upcoming winter when his team will visit Sri Lanka and West Indies.

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“I think we are on an upward curve,” Root told the media after play. “I do think we’ve shown a lot of improvement this summer. When we’ve had tough days and tough games, we’ve responded to that. We are going to have some difficult challenges ahead. This winter is going to pose a lot of different challenges to playing in these conditions. But that presents a great opportunity for us to show some growth as a team.”

In November, England will visit Sri Lanka for a three-Test series. After that, they will travel to the Caribbeans for the same number of Tests.

Root further said that the team was determined to win the dead rubber despite the series already in the pocket.  England’s track record in dead-rubber has not been encouraging and Root was delighted his team bucked the trend in the latest outing.

“It’s huge for the group,” he said. “Having already won the series, it’s something we’ve got wrong in the past. The lads have delivered this week. They’ve been really outstanding in all departments.

ENG vs IND 2018: Hopefully Now We Can Kick On: Joe Root After Thumping Win Over India
The lads have been really outstanding in all departments: Joe Root (England vs India, Credits: Getty)

“Everyone played a significant part and that’s what’s been really pleasing. Hopefully, now we can kick on. We are going to have different challenges in the winter. We know where we want to get to and that we are not the perfect side. But if we can continue with the same drive and attitude, then we’ve got every chance of getting right to the top,” he added.

Coming to the game, India were all out for 345 while chasing 464. They briefly looked in contention to save the game when KL Rahul and Rishab Pant scored centuries. However, once Adil Rashid dismissed Rahul to end the 204-run stand, India’s lower order could not delay the inevitable for long.

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