Joe Root’s unique celebration following his century against India in the fourth Test has a unique relationship to Elvis Presley.
On the first day of the fourth Test match between England and India in Ranchi on Friday, batsman Joe Root of the England cricket team struck a gutsy century to put his team in a strong position. Shortly after reaching the landmark, Root gestured with his pinky finger in the direction of the dressing room, a move that captain Ben Stokes then duplicated. This exchange dates back to the Edgbaston Test match in 2022 between India and England, where the two players won the match and celebrated in this way for the first time. As Root had previously disclosed, the festival draws inspiration from the renowned entertainer Elvis Presley.
That’s what the little pinkie was all about; although I doubt I’ll ever be able to look or feel like a rock star, for ten seconds I might have. Ben has been watching the Elvis Presley movie lately, so it was a small homage to him, Root had stated following the Edgbaston Test.
In the fourth Test on Friday, Indian fast bowler Akash Deep claimed three wickets in his maiden match before Joe Root struck an unbeaten 106 to spearhead England’s comeback from early difficulties.
After choosing to bat first in Ranchi, England, behind 2-1 in the five-match series, reached stumps at 302-7.
The tourists were down to 112-5, but Root, who had only scored 77 runs in his previous six innings, got back on track and put on a 113-run partnership with Ben Foakes, the wicketkeeper-batsman, who scored 47.
After Mohamed Siraj removed Foakes from the game, the partnership was broken, but former captain Root held strong and, at the end of play, had 31-year-old Ollie Robinson for company in an undefeated stand of 57.
