England Test team captain Joe Root has expressed his wish to tour Pakistan. However, he was quick to add that it is “not my decision to make” about whether they will be going for a return tour after the culmination of the ongoing three-match series against Pakistan.
England have not toured the country since 2005-06 over security concerns following the 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore. The Three Lions are, however, scheduled to tour the country in 2022.
“It would be a great opportunity to go and play there personally,” IANS quoted the England skipper as saying in the post-match conference of the second Test.
“It looks a wonderful country to go play in. The wickets look nice and flat as well, which would be a nice change to what we have had here,” he added.
Meanwhile, Root also spoke about the bad light issue at length after the second Test ended in a pale draw mostly due to the washouts caused by rain throughout the five days’ play.
In his post-match press conference on Monday, the 29-year-old said authorities could consider using a brighter red ball, bringing forward the start time and improving floodlights.
“It is something that needs looking at higher up the chain,” Root was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.
“It is way above my pay grade but there are different things that may be able to be trialled to see if there are other ways we could do things in this country to avoid similar scenarios.
“It has been a huge talking point but it needs to be addressed somewhere somehow,” he added.
Root, who did not blame the umpires, added: “We are all for playing but don’t want anyone getting injured or hurt because of light or wet ground.”
Intermittent showers had been affecting the game since the Day 1. Major parts of the second day were also washed out before the third day’s play was abandoned completely without a ball being bowled. A very little cricket was possible on Day 4 as well.
Only 134.3 overs could be bowled in the second Test at the Ageas Bowl because of rain and bad light, making it the ninth shortest Test in England in terms of balls bowled and the shortest match since England hosted Pakistan at Lord’s in 1987.
Pakistan, who lost the first Test at the Old Trafford by three wickets, must find a way to win the final Test to draw the series.