Joe Root says situation called for him to bat at No 4 for England at Ageas Bowl
"When you drop down a position, whether people see it as weak or whatever, they will always try and find anything they can to try and upset or frustrate you and take you out of your bubble."
Sunday 2 September 2018 12:26, UK
Joe Root says the situation called for him to drop down to No 4 in England's second innings in the fourth Test against India.
Moeen Ali batted at No 3 in Southampton - the position from where he struck 219 for Worcestershire in the Specsavers County Championship last week - after Alastair Cook was dismissed with the score on 24.
Root subsequently came in at two wickets down, to some verbals from opposition skipper Virat Kohli, and played neatly for 46 before a mix-up with Ben Stokes saw him run out.
Speaking about the switch to Sky Sports' Nasser Hussain, including whether it could become permanent, Root said: "It was a bit of a spur-of-the-moment decision.
"I felt batting at No 4 in this situation would get the best out of myself and give us a better chance of getting up to 230-250.
"Part of being a team is that you all play your part and the fact I have come down to No 4 in this innings worked in a way.
"When you drop down a position, whether people see it as weak or whatever, they will always try and find anything they can to try and upset or frustrate you and take you out of your bubble.
"Ultimately, I did it for the good of the team. That's how I saw it and how the guys in the dressing room saw it and that's the most important thing to me.
"I see sledging as a big compliment - if people aren't willing to waste time talking to you that's when you really worry!
"We were in a position where Moeen is in great form batting at No 3 for his county and we thought it was a great opportunity for him to go out there and play in his own manner.
"Mo was excited. It wasn't a case of him going out there if he wasn't desperate to do it. He sees himself as a top-order batter.
"It didn't work out this time but there's no reason it can't in the future. Whether it's a long-term thing with Mo [at No 3] we'll have to wait and see.
"Every now and then you may have to change things around but I don't think it's something that's good to do a lot, especially with your batting."
“I felt more of myself. I got my movements a lot better, a lot quicker and felt comfortable at the crease to individual bowlers and about how to counteract them. I also had a real intent to score.”
To hear more from Root, including his batting form, being run out and handling senior seamers James Anderson and Stuart Broad, click play on the video at the top of the page.
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