Joe Root

Internationally ranked No 4 batsman by the ICC, Joe Root has contributed his unparalleled form at the crease and assertive captaining abilities to some of England’s most outstanding performances since their mid-00s glory days under Michael Vaughan. A prodigy of Vaughan’s, Root has risen through the ranks of professional cricket to become one of its most respected modern players.

Growing up near Sheffield, Root was given a cricket scholarship to Worksop College aged 15 and further honed his skills at the highly revered Sheffield Collegiate Cricket Club, rubbing shoulders with some of England’s most legendary players. Making his Yorkshire 1st team debut in 2009, Root immediately proved his potential as a batsman, scoring a half-century against Essex and finishing the game as his team’s top scorer. The focus and energy Root displayed during high-profile debuts continued in 2012 as he finished once again as top scorer in his maiden test match against India before opening batting for England in the 2013 Ashes series alongside captain Alastair Cook.

Several seasons later, scoring easy centuries across ODI, T20 and test matches across the globe, Root made his first steps toward captaincy, being named vice-captain for the 2015 Ashes series and hitting a powerful 134 on its first day. Driven by his newfound responsibility, Root’s performances earned him Man of the Series and elevated him to No 1 ranked batsman by the ICC, paving the way for the beginning of his full-time captaincy in 2017. Root’s trademark composure has since pushed England towards historic victories, such as their first test series victory in Sri Lanka for almost two decades, earning the young Yorkshireman a permanent place in the hearts of cricket fans at home. With plenty of stellar seasons left in him, Root will undoubtedly continue to impress on the cricket pitch for years to come.