Joe Root determined to help England make history by beating Pakistan for first time in UAE

Joe Root is determined to help England beat Pakistan for the first time in the United Arab Emirates

JOE ROOT is determined to help England make history over the coming weeks – by inspiring them to be the first team to beat Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

 

Root was brilliant this summer as he plundered 460 runs to inspire Alastair Cook’s men to a surprise Ashes win against a heavily-fancied Australia.

Now the 24-year-old is looking to repeat the trick against a Pakistan team who have never lost a Test series in the Emirates.

“A big series for me would be winning it if I’m being honest,” said Root.

 

Root was impressive in the Ashes series - scoring 460 runs against Australia

“No-one’s won here against Pakistan, so it would be really pleasing for me to be part of a team who have come into these conditions and done what no other side has done before.

“And what would make it even more pleasing would be if I was one of the guys that made big runs.”

England will be huge underdogs when the first of three Tests against Pakistan begins in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

 

Moeen Ali will open up the batting with Alastair Cook against Pakistan

But Root, who has developed into one of the leading batsmen in the world since making his Test debut against India in Nagpur in 2012, believes Cook’s men can overturn the odds just as they did against the Australians in the summer.

“I want to make some big contributions this series and I’m going to have to play extremely well to do that,” he said.

“To beat Pakistan here is going to be a big effort, but we’ve proven over the last six months we’re capable of doing things that maybe look a bit too much for us.”

The last England team to tour here in 2012 were thrashed 3-0 by Pakistan after being bamboozled by spin.

Yasir Shah, the prolific leg-spinner who has taken 61 wickets in 10 Tests, will be the major threat this time. And Root is expecting Pakistan to make life as uncomfortable as possible for England’s batsmen with relentless chat when the spinners are on.

“I’m sure there’ll be a lot of men round the bat making life difficult and having some pleasant conversations as well,” he said.

 

England coach Trevor Bayliss refused to confirm Jos Butler's place in the team

England are preparing for the expected barrage of verbals from Pakistan’s close fielders by blasting out music from speakers during their net sessions.

“We do sometimes put a bit of extra noise in there,” said Root.

“It’s about having that noise around you and creating an atmosphere to make it a little bit more difficult.”

Moeen Ali will be confirmed as Cook’s latest opening partner on Tuesday, a meteoric rise for the Worcestershire all-rounder who batted at No8 during the Ashes.

Coach Trevor Bayliss refused to confirm Jos Buttler’s place in the team but the wicketkeeper is expected to retain his place despite a desperate run of form.

James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Mark Wood are likely to be the three seamers who will operate alongside spinners Moeen and Adil Rashid.

PROBABLE ENGLAND TEAM: Cook (captain), Moeen, Bell, Root, Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler (wicketkeeper), Rashid, Broad, Wood, Anderson