ENG vs PAK, 2018: It's a Difficult Pill to Swallow, Laments Joe Root Post Nine-wicket Loss

England’s started off their season of home cricket in the worst possible manner, handing visitors Pakistan a huge nine-wicket win in the first Test on day four at iconic Lord’s. Also, Pakistan goes 1-0 up in the two-match Test series, on the other side, Joe Root-led England made it even more difficult for themselves to make a comeback into the series.

Since the starting of the Test match, there was only one team which was on top of the game, until the fourth day of the Test match and it was Pakistan by some distance.

The only shining light amidst one-sided Test were the knocks of debutant Jos Buttler, Dominic Bess, and captain Root.

“We were outperformed in all three departments. First innings, we needed more runs. We did some really good work leading into this game. We made sure that we’re ready for this game,” England leader Root conceded during the post-match presentation.

England was dismissed on a paltry score of 184 in the first innings. They were unable to bat even 60 overs on the first day.

From there on, Pakistan piled on the pressure on the hosts by clinching first innings lead of 179.

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We have to be better: Joe Root

Pakistan’s fast bowling trio of Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali and Mohammed Amir caused havoc in the English dressing room even in the second innings of the Test match.

“They (Pakistan) exploited the conditions and did more than perhaps you expected, and we played bad shots. No regrets about the toss. It’s already going up and down,” added Root.

Apart from Cook in the first innings, none of the batters was able to offer resistance to the quality of Pakistani bowlers.

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“If we had batted well and gotten 250 or 300, it would have been a different game. We have to be a little bit smarter about how we get about things,” the English captained reckoned.

The action now moves to Leeds in Headingley, where England would want to level the series by coming back strongly.

“It’s a difficult pill to swallow. We have to be better and we have an opportunity to do that next week. We have shown a lot of character, and I’m sure we can do that,” concluded Root.