Dawid Malan offers us a lot of experience in the top three: Joe Root

Ahead of the third Test match against India at Headingley, England have brought Dawid Malan into their batting setup. Malan will be replacing opener Dominic Sibley in the mix. However, the left-hander has played his last game in red-ball cricket in Birmingham, 2018 against India. The England captain Joe Root lavished praises on Malan as he stated that he offers a lot of experience in the top order of the team.

Malan has performed consistently in the County Championship in the last two years and has been a threat in the domestic circuit. His performances here have designed the layout of his comeback to the team. Root thus asserted that Malan is capable of doing big things in Test cricket as he comes from a good run in the County Championship. He further pointed that the southpaw would be hungry to score runs and will make the opportunity count.

“I think (Dawid) Malan offers us a lot of experience in the top three, not necessarily in Tests but he has played a lot of red ball in the country with success as well. One thing I will say about Dawid, he is a fine player, he has had immense pressure and has come through most of them with success. He will be desperate to take the opportunity and make the spot his own,” Root said as reported by cricket.com.

We have to keep improving as a team, we need to get enough good partnerships: Joe Root

The top-order batting has been a concern for England lately. Their openers weren’t able to provide steady starts to the team and build on their inning into big scores. The batting line-up of the hosts suffered at the hands of Indian pacers as they couldn’t hold their fort and was bowled out on the final day. Joe Root however feels that the team needs to build on good partnerships and that it would be their focus ahead of the third Test.

“It is been a very challenging summer for us, we have come across numerous challenging surfaces. We have to keep improving as a team, we need to get enough good partnerships that has to be our focus for the third Test and future,” Root added.