Root looks ahead to tour of Sri Lanka after skippering Test side to 4-1 series victory over India
Wednesday 12 September 2018 10:14, UK
Joe Root says England's Test side must now aim for consistency as they look to build on their emphatic series win over India.
England beat India, the number one Test team in the world, 4-1, with their 118-run victory in the fifth Test at the Kia Oval adding gloss to their first series triumph since beating the Windies this time last year.
Since then, England have lost the Ashes 4-0 in Australia, were defeated in a Test series in New Zealand, and then drew at home with Pakistan.
Root believes England have now turned a corner and the captain is relishing the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka and next year's series in the West Indies.
He said: "I think we are on an upwards curve. I do think we have shown a lot of improvement this summer. When we have had tough days and tough games, we have responded extremely well to that.
"We are going to have some difficult challenges ahead. This winter is going to pose a lot of different challenges to play in these conditions but that presents a great opportunity for us to show growth as a team and show consistency, like the one-day group have.
"That's a great benchmark - the way they have grown, moulded and improved over time. It's the chance for us to do the same thing now."
England's one-day team have won their last five series following the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, with just Scotland getting the better of them in a solitary match before they whitewashed Australia in June.
Following one-day and Twenty20 matches in October, England begin their Test series with Sri Lanka on November 6 in a three-match contest before they tour West Indies at the start of 2019.
