Joe Root has excelled for England in both Tests and One-Day Internationals. The former captain of the English Test team has scored 10,629 runs in Test cricket and 6,207 runs in One-Day Internationals.
Root last took part in a T20I in 2019, which was his last appearance in T20 cricket. However, he has a respectable record in the aforementioned format, scoring 893 runs in 30 T20I innings at a healthy average of 35.72 and a respectable strike rate of 126.31.
One of the 27 English players who have signed up for the IPL 2023 auction is Joe Root. It is pertinent to note that Root was not sold in the IPL 2018 auction and has not yet made his debut in IPL cricket.
For the upcoming auction, Root has set his base price at one crore rupees. The three teams that could potentially target the prolific English batsman at the auction are as follows:
#1 Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
At the upcoming auction, the four-time IPL champions may target Joe Root. CSK management prefers experienced players who are able to perform on the big stage when needed, as has been the trend over time.
Root perfectly fits the bill. He has been playing international cricket for a ten-year period, and he has had some success on pitches all over the world. In the auction, CSK has room for two international players, and they will want an experienced international player in the top order.
The team has players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, and Ambati Rayudu in the top order, but it doesn’t have an experienced batsman. He is able to maintain innings stability and accelerate when the situation calls for it.
Root’s addition could make the team stronger and give aggressive players like Ravindra Jadeja and Mooen Ali a place to play in the final overs.
#2 Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
In the IPL 2023 auctions, SRH has the largest budget and can acquire four international players. After losing players like Nicholas Pooran and Kane Williamson, SRH will be eager to sign a seasoned top-order batsman.
The SRH series could benefit from Joe Root’s addition. He could start the batting for SRH as the anchor at the top of the order or take the third spot in the order.
Root may be a candidate for SRH’s captaincy for the upcoming IPL season. SRH has not yet chosen a captain. When it comes to directing the SRH squad’s younger Indian players, his experience could be beneficial.
#3 Punjab Kings (PBKS)
At the IPL 2023 auction, the Punjabi franchise may also attempt to acquire Joe Root. At the time of the auction, the team only had five overseas players, but it could buy three more.
In IPL 2023, Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow will most likely open the batting for PBKS. Since Mayank Agarwal was let go, the team needs a player who can stabilize at number three.
Root fits the bill and can set the stage for finishers like Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma to give the innings a fitting end.
Root’s expertise may be useful for PBKS and will also provide an additional spin bowling option. The former England Test captain has excellent off-break skills and could serve as an additional bowling option for the captain in IPL 2023.