Watching Gus Atkinson bat is watching someone like Jacques Kallis play: Joe Root

It was Joe Root's day to savour as the English absolutely devoured the Sri Lankan attack on Day 1 of the second Test at Lord's to notch up yet another meticulously crafted ton, his 33rd in Tests. However, there was another batting performance which garnered special attention, that of Gus Atkinson. 

Root was all praise of Atkinson, who scored a proactive 81-ball 74* at the end of the day, with the duo involved in a 92-run stand. The centurion lauded the manner in which Atkinson clobbered the maximums he scored in the 'V', even drawing a special comparison with South African great, Jacques Kallis, in the 26-year-old. 

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"Yeah, it was good, it was nice. I'll tell you why it was good watching Gussy (Gus Atkinson) bat at the other end. Being at the other end, when he hit those straight sixes, they were unbelievable shots. It's like watching someone like Jacques Kallis play. It was a great little innings from him, and there were some good partnerships along the way," stated Root on a video posted by England Cricket on X.

It's great to have people like Alastair Cook in and around you: Root

The ex-skipper spoke on another former legendary leader of the English group, Alastair Cook, and lauded the innate attributes of Cook in terms of being someone open to meaningful discussions and someone who could be trusted on for being there in the darkest of times with regard to the advice provided.

"Yeah, it's obviously nice, but it's just, I guess you try, you pride yourself on trying to contribute and helping put the team in a winning position. We've had a few laughs and jokes about things, but Cookie's (Alastair Cook) always been someone for me to look up to, bounce ideas off, and talk to, and felt under pressure or things haven't been going well, and he's been very supportive and helpful. It's great to have people like that in and around you," added the Yorkshire-born.

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With his 33rd century in the red-ball format, Root equalled the tally for the most number of centuries to be scored by an English cricketer in Tests. With one milestone ticked off, Root would be gunning to transcend Cook in the number of runs scored in Tests as well, which doesn't seem far off.