24 July,2019 12:13 PM IST | | mid-day online desk
Joe Root
England's Test captain Joe Root who was one of the pillars for England during the team's first-ever World Cup triumph said that the team is heading into the Ireland Test at Lord's with a huge amount of confidence.
"We couldn't be better-placed in many ways. There's a huge amount of confidence coming off the back of the World Cup win. The most important thing for me, the message that there has been to the squad, is to play with a huge amount of pride and passion and intensity," International Cricket Council (ICC) quoted Root, as saying.
England will take on Ireland in a four-day Test match at Lord's, starting today, and skipper Root believes that the team will not get complacent and will give their 100 per cent.
"We don't want to sleepwalk into this. Any Lord's Test match at the start is a good chance to set a precedent for the way we want to play for the rest of the summer. I don't want anyone walking into it and not being 100 per cent on it," Root said.
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Team England have announced their playing 11 vs Ireland for the one-off Test and lead pace James Anderson will be missing out due to a calf injury.
In James Anderson's absence, Olly Stone will be making his debut for England.
"Jimmy probably would have been able to get through this Test match. We thought the last thing we want is him carrying a niggle going into a series, so we tried to be sensible about it and give him as much time to be 100 per cent going into that series," Root said.
"He's (Stone) got good pace. That's one thing that he brings to this group - an extra bit of pace, something different to turn to. It'll be a good opportunity to see him play this week," he added.
England's team for the Test match against Ireland: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Rory Burns, Sam Curran, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Jason Roy, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
England's World Cup final Man of the Match Ben Stokes has also been left out of the squad.
With inputs from ANI
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