Joe Root thanks Mark Ramprakash for inspiring Old Trafford innings

Joe Root has revealed his career-best innings at Old Trafford came as a result of a motivational talk from England's batting coach Mark Ramprakash.

Root admits he was starting to get frustrated with his form ahead of the second Test against Pakistan last week, having struggled badly in the defeat at Lord's in the series opener.

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The Yorkshire batsman was visibly upset at both of his dismissals in that game but went on to score 254 and 71 not out in Manchester as England levelled the series with a 330-run demolition.

And Root says it was a talk with Ramprakash over his mental approach to batting that made all of the difference to his form.

"It was almost like the final straw at Lord's. I'd really wound myself up," he said. "I knew having been moved up the order (to number three) and being 1-0 down in the series, I needed to put a really big performance in (at Old Trafford).

"So I worked really hard in practice and spoke to Mark Ramprakash. One thing he said was, 'Are you mentally in the right place to play Test cricket at the minute?'

"I didn't even think about that at the time. That sort of hurt me, that someone would say that to me.

"All he said was, 'It must be your mental approach to things, because your game looks in good order'. It's actually exactly what I needed to hear and that's why he is such a good batting coach. It was a good motivator to get me in the right place for Old Trafford."