Joe Root roped in by Dubai Capitals for inaugural edition of International League T20

Joe Root has been roped in by the Dubai Capitals for the inaugural edition of the International League T20.

The 31-year-old will ply his trade for the Capitals, owned by the GMR group, who also happen to be the co-owners of the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The English batter hasn’t been in the T20 scheme of things for his national team and is yet to play in the IPL.

That said, Root has registered himself for the upcoming IPL auction at a base price of INR 1 crore and will be on the radar of the Delhi Capitals once the auction kicks off in Kochi on December 23.

Dubai Capitals have roped in some big names from the international circuit. Root is joined by the likes of Rovman Powell, Sikandar Raza, Bhanuka Rajapaksha, Dasun Shanaka and Hazratullah Zazai, who can dismantle any bowling attack on their day.

The bowling department also looks threatening with the likes of Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Isuru Udana, Fred Klaassen expected to make a significant mark in the tournament.

Often touted as a Test specialist, Joe Root has played 88 T20 matches to date, scoring 2083 runs at an average of 32.54 and a strike rate of 126.70 with 13 half-centuries. He has also been part of the Sydney Thunder squad in the Big Bash League (BBL) besides plying his trade for the Trent Rockets in the Men’s Hundred competition.

In 32 T20Is, Root has scored 893 runs at an average of 35.72 and a strike rate of 126.30. He has also notched up five centuries in the process. His last appearance for England in T20Is came in May 2019 against Pakistan.

Can Joe Root turn his white-ball career around?

One of the prolific run-scorers in Test cricket, Joe Root’s form has been far from ideal even in the longest format.

On batting-friendly wickets in Pakistan where his teammates piled on the runs, he managed to muster just 125 runs in three games at an average of 25. In the preceding series against South Africa, Root scored only 46 runs in three matches.

With England ruling world cricket in the white-ball formats, Root needs to reinvent himself and playing the IPL might just be the pathway for his selection in the England team for the 2023 50-over World Cup slated to be played in India.