Joe Root keeps it tight through the shot

SportLocation Cricket Desk · 8 Sept 2026

Joe Root’s bat stays close to his pads as he works a controlled stroke in Test whites, with the wicketkeeper set and the field waiting behind him.

Joe Root is shown doing what he has always done best: keeping the bat close and the movement compact.

At 5.75 seconds, he stays over the ball rather than chasing it, with the wicketkeeper crouched up and the shot played under control rather than with any flourish.

That shape matters. The hands are quiet, the front leg is stable and the bat comes down straight, which is exactly the sort of method that takes pace out of the game and keeps risk low.

The later lift of bat and helmet is a separate, more public moment, but the cricketing detail that stands out is still the same one: Root’s control at the crease.