We want to become number 1 Test team in the World, says Joe Root after historic series win

England won the Test series for the first time in Sri Lanka since 2001 as they sealed the second game in Pallekele as well. Chasing 301 runs to win, Sri Lanka were seven down on the fourth day itself and their hopes were pinned on Niroshan Dickwella. But the duo of Jack Leach and Moeen Ali didn’t give a sniff to the hosts and cleaned up the remaining three wickets.

The Test match was keenly contested right from the first day. After opting to bat first, the visitors had once again found themselves in a hole at 175/7. But Sam Curran came to the rescue for them yet again and his half-century led them to an above par total of 285 runs. In response, even Sri Lanka found some lower-order resistance led by Roshen Silva as they managed to take a crucial lead.

However, Joe Root’s masterful century in the second innings meant that England were always ahead in the game and then their bowlers, spin trio, once again did the job for them.

We got to keep improving

Joe Root, in the post-match presentation ceremony, was delighted with a series victory and cleared his intentions of getting at the perch of the rankings in the whites. He felt that the team is going in the right direction and if they keep working hard, the number 1 ranking is not far away.

“We have been courageous at times. As a whole squad, we have done really well. We got to keep looking to improve, can’t keep still. We want to get to the No. 1 rank in the world at some point and we got to be consistent to that. There are competitions for places within the squad. We need to keep taking opportunities that are in store for us,” he said.

The third and final Test match, the dead rubber, will commence on November 23 in Colombo as Sri Lanka will look to avoid the whitewash.

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