‘Even Coldplay can’t be number one every week’ – Root

Joe Root admitted England did not play their best cricket against Sri Lanka, but “Coldplay can’t be number one every week”.

The home side put in their worst performance since coach Brendon McCullum took charge to be beaten by eight wickets in the third Test at The Kia Oval.

In doing so, England missed the chance to record a 100% home summer for the first time in 20 years.

“We are not always going to get it right all of the time,” batter Root told Test Match Special. “For 90% of the summer we have. We have shown what a good team we can be.”

England have still won five of their six Tests this summer, beating West Indies 3-0 and Sri Lanka 2-1.

Still, their performance at The Oval was incredibly wasteful and allowed the impressive Sri Lankans to earn their first win in 11 Tests against England.

In the first innings, England collapsed from 261-3 to 325 all out, then were hustled out for a dismal 156 in 34 overs in the second innings.

That left Sri Lanka a victory target of 219, which they were taken to on the fourth morning by Pathum Nissanka’s outstanding 127 not out. It is only Sri Lanka’s fourth win in a Test in this country.

“I don’t think we played our best cricket this week and that is going to happen from time to time,” added Root. “Coldplay can’t be number one every week.”

England’s performance led to an accusation of complacency from former captain Sir Alastair Cook, while another ex-skipper, Michael Vaughan, warned them not to “take the mickey out of Test cricket”.

But Ollie Pope, who deputised for the injured Ben Stokes as England captain for the Sri Lanka series, rejected suggestions his team were lacking “hunger”.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a lack of an edge or not really having that desire to go and put together a massive score,” said Pope.

“It can just happen in cricket, and it’s been a good gap since we last did that.”

Pope, leading England for the first time, said he loved “every bit” of the job, but is ready to hand the reins back to Stokes when he returns to fitness.

Stokes injured his hamstring playing for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred last month. He is expected to be fit for England’s tour of Pakistan in October.

That series was due to be played in Karachi, Multan and Rawalpindi,but renovation work is likely to render Karachi unavailable.

Despite some suggestion that part of the series could take place outside of Pakistan, that is now not thought to be the case, with new venues expected to be confirmed this week.

Following that, England will name their squad. Zak Crawley is also hopeful he will join Stokes in returning after the opener missed the Sri Lanka series because of a broken finger.

England also have a slight concern over the fitness of pace bowler Gus Atkinson, who struggled during the third Test because of a thigh problem.

As a result he has been withdrawn from the upcoming one-day series against Australia and replaced by Olly Stone.

“I think he’s OK,” said Pope. “He’s got a couple of weeks off now to refresh. I’ve chatted to him and he said it feels better today than when he first felt it. Fingers crossed he’s all good.”