The fifth Test between India and England, starting Thursday at the picturesque Himachal town of Dharamsala, will mark a century of Test appearances from either side -- with Ashwin becoming the 14th Indian and Jonny Bairstow, the 17th Englishman to don 100 Test caps.
While Bairstow has managed only 102 runs in six innings, Root’s bat has produced a mere 77 runs from the three Tests so far, begging questions on the duo’s place in the side for the fourth Test.
Importantly, though, it was only England's third defeat of the Bazball regime, which meant that you couldn’t really dip your pain in acid and write disdainfully of Brendon McCullum, the coach who preaches hyper-aggressive Test cricket or Ben Stokes, the captain who made himself conspicuous with his rash first-day declaration.
Root's unbeaten 118 not out, his 30th century in Test cricket, was the stand-out contribution on a surface that offered little for the bowlers
We'll move on to the next test match, and go out there and try to win," the all-rounder added.
Root, while acknowledging the importance of the World Test Championship, made clear an Ashes series in Australia remains the acid test for an England cricketer.
British media reports state that over 170,000 people have signed up for the NHS volunteer scheme since the outbreak of the endemic.
The Black Caps managed to get all the 120 points at stake in the recently concluded series against India and in doing so have left the Championship table wide open.
The 3- 1 margin, truth to tell, takes on a whole new meaning when you reckon with the fact that England, for much of their time on the tour, missed some of their front-rank cricketers because of a viral infection which going by reliable accounts had reporters from London discussing, even if somewhat fancifully, which ones among them stood a chance of being invited to join the squad, just in case.
Wood first struck three sixes and two fours as he scored 35 as part of an extraordinary last-wicket stand of 82 with Stuart Broad.
