Joe Root attributes his resurgence in One Day Internationals (ODIs) to a sense of guilt, feeling he wasn’t always there for former captain Jos Buttler. Now, under the leadership of Harry Brook, Root aims to make amends by committing fully to England’s limited-overs side.
On Sunday, Root reached a milestone, becoming England’s highest ODI run-scorer, with a stellar 166 not out against the West Indies in Cardiff. This achievement not only secured the series but also followed his record as England’s top Test run-scorer, surpassing Sir Alastair Cook last October.
Passing Eoin Morgan’s previous record of 6,957 runs was significant. Morgan is remembered for his captaincy, which transformed England’s white-ball cricket, culminating in the 2019 World Cup victory. Root was pivotal in that campaign, contributing 556 runs.
However, over the years, focusing on his Test captaincy and other commitments meant Root played fewer ODIs. He featured in just 25 of a potential 47 matches during Buttler’s time as captain.
The disappointing 2023 World Cup and a poor Champions Trophy earlier this year, which resulted in Buttler’s resignation, bookended a 2024 where Root missed out on white-ball cricket altogether. Now, having played eight ODIs in 2025 and notched his 18th hundred, Root is reinvigorated.
Root remarked, “I played a huge amount of cricket with Jos and almost felt guilty that I wasn’t there for him throughout a lot of his tenure. And now that there’s more chances and more opportunities to play ODI cricket, I want to be involved in that.”
He is eager to guide younger players and share his experience, both in practice and on the field. “Hopefully knocks like that show that,” Root said of his 166, hoping to demonstrate his ongoing value to the team.
Root hopes for the emergence of a consistent team that can build towards future success. “It’s what we did really well leading up to that 2019 World Cup. I don’t think that counts for nothing,” he added.
Brook, captaining the side for the first series, lauded Root’s effort, which stood out amid the team’s struggles to 146 for 7, excluding extras. Root’s innings was crucial for the win, which also aids England’s automatic qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
In return, Root commended Brook’s fielding strategies, which helped restrict the West Indies to 308 runs. As England looks ahead to the final ODI at Kia Oval, the team seems well-poised, with Root playing a crucial role in guiding the squad forward.
