Joseph Edward Root, an MBE awardee born on December 30, 1990, is a prominent English international cricketer. He is a key member of the English cricket team and formerly served as the captain of the Test team. Root also proudly represents Yorkshire in the realm of English domestic cricket.
In the world of Test cricket, Root stands out as the current leading run-scorer among all active batsmen and holds the impressive rank of the tenth highest run-scorer of all time. His contributions were pivotal in the England team’s triumphant campaign in the 2019 Cricket World Cup, where he emerged as the top run-scorer for England.
Joe Root Family- Father, Mother, Siblings, Kids
Joseph Edward Root, known as Joe Root, is the elder son of Helen and Matt Root. He spent his formative years in Dore, Sheffield. His younger brother, Billy, is also involved in cricket and plays for Glamorgan. Joe’s educational journey included Dore Primary and King Ecgbert School in Sheffield. At the age of 15, he pursued his passion for cricket through a sports scholarship and attended Worksop College as a weekly boarder.
In the cricketing world, Root followed in his father’s footsteps by joining Sheffield Collegiate CC, located in Abbeydale Park. Interestingly, the renowned former Yorkshire batsman and England captain, Michael Vaughan, also honed his skills at Collegiate and served as a source of inspiration for Root, who quickly became Vaughan’s protegé. Root’s talents shone brightly, earning him the title of Player of the Tournament at the prestigious Bunbury Festival.
Beyond cricket, Joe Root is an avid supporter of Sheffield United, the association football club.
In December 2018, Joe Root and Carrie Cotterell made the heartfelt decision to tie the knot and embark on their journey of marriage. Their union was blessed with the arrival of a beautiful baby boy, and Carrie has lovingly shared numerous pictures of their family on social media.
Joe Root’s proposal to Carrie took place before the World T20, and they exchanged their vows two years later on December 1, 2018. The picturesque setting for their wedding was Joe’s hometown of Sheffield. Their wedding ceremony followed the traditions of a Christian wedding and was an intimate affair, attended only by their closest family members and friends.
In January 2017, their son, Alfred William Root, was born, becoming a cherished addition to their family. In a heartfelt social media post, Carrie expressed her feelings, conveying that if their son becomes even remotely as remarkable as Joe, he would undoubtedly grow into an extraordinary individual.
Joe Root Test Captaincy
Root took over as the full-time Test captain on February 13, 2017, succeeding Alastair Cook, who resigned from the position. This made Root the 80th captain of the England cricket team. In his inaugural match as captain against South Africa at Lord’s on July 6, 2017, Root showcased his leadership with a brilliant innings of 190, marking his 12th Test century. Notably, he became the sixth and highest-scoring England player to achieve a Test century on captaincy debut. His influence extended to his county teammate Gary Ballance’s recall to the England squad.
Root led England in the home series against South Africa, setting a new record score for the first match as England captain with his innings of 190. This victory paved the way for a 3–1 series triumph. Subsequently, in the Test series against West Indies, Root equaled AB de Villiers’ record by scoring a half-century in 12 consecutive Test matches.
In the 2017–18 Ashes series, Root captained England in an unsuccessful defense of the Ashes, losing four out of the five Tests. Despite his consistent batting performances, including a half-century in each Test, Root faced criticism for not converting these into centuries. His next century came in September 2018 against India at The Oval.
The year 2018 saw England drawing 1–1 at home against Pakistan and bouncing back to beat India 4–1. Root played a pivotal role, scoring a century in the last Test against India. He continued his success in the ODI series against India, scoring 217 runs, including two back-to-back centuries.
Root made history by becoming the first English captain to win a Test series in Sri Lanka since 2001 in 2018. He secured the series win with a century in the second Test. The Ashes series in 2019 ended in a draw, with Australia retaining the Ashes. Root’s position in the batting order was debated, and he faced criticism for not converting fifties into centuries. England won the series against South Africa in the 2019–20 season, with Root contributing both with the bat and as a captain.
In December 2019, Root scored his first double century as captain in the second Test against New Zealand, becoming the first visiting captain to achieve this in New Zealand in Test cricket. England then secured a 3–1 series victory in South Africa, with Root’s significant contributions both as a captain and a batsman.
In the summer of 2020, Root missed the first Test against West Indies due to the birth of his second child. He returned to lead England to a 2–1 series victory, with a notable score of 68 not out in the final Test. He continued to lead England to a 1–0 series win against Pakistan.
Root’s consistent performance earned him nominations for prestigious awards in November 2020, including the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade. In 2021, he led England to victory against Sri Lanka and contributed significantly with the bat. He also led England in the Test series against India, where he achieved the milestone of scoring a double century in his 100th Test match appearance.
Despite being the leading run-scorer for England in the 2021–22 Ashes series, Root faced criticism for not securing centuries as England lost the series 4–0. The series result led to the removal of Chris Silverwood as head coach, with calls for Root to step down as captain. However, Root retained his position and led England in the series against West Indies.
On January 4, 2022, at the fourth Ashes Test in Sydney, Root captained England for the 60th time, setting a record for the most Test matches as England captain. However, on April 15, 2022, Root resigned as Test captain after leading the team in 64 matches, describing it as the most challenging decision in his career.
Joe Root Parents FAQs
1- What is the name of Joe Root’s father?
Matt Root is the father of Joe Root.
2- What is the name of Joe Root’s mother?
Helen Root is the mother of Joe Root.