Joe Root urges England to grasp the nettle ahead of fifth India Test

NICK HOWSON: Having allowed positions of strength slip through their grasp, the skipper knows there is something to build on. But build they must if the series is to be salvaged

England captain Joe Root says his side must convert positions of authority as they bid to clinch a series draw against India in the fifth Test at Emirates Old Trafford.

The hosts trail 2-1 heading into the final international red-ball match of the summer following the 157-run defeat at The Kia Oval.

Victory in Manchester is required to ensure England do not end the season winless in series contested over the longest format, having already been turned over by New Zealand.

Though now unable to mathematically win the series, the home side have not been devoid of chances to stamp their mark on the exchanges with India, not least in the fourth Test when they claimed a 99-run lead after both sides had batted twice.

Root spent much of the aftermath of the fifth-day defeat speaking about improving on England's ruthlessness and there remains a degree of frustration within the skipper that presentable opportunities have passed them by.

^{Jos Buttler returns and Moeen Ali is expected to be the lead spinner in Manchester}

"Within this series, there have been half-an-hour periods of the game where we've not managed as well as them and it has really cost us and we're sat at 2-1 down rather than potentially 3-0 up," he said.

"You look at Lord's with the ball in hand and that spell from Bumrah the other night. They really cost us those two games.

"It is about managing those passages better and finding a way to get through difficult periods as a batting group.

"Being smarter about how we're going to go about containing it and getting that lower order are things we need to make sure we get better at and we're learning about it as the series goes on and over time when we're in those situations again we're on the right side of it."

Though slip catching remains a concern - England's success rate stood at 76 per cent since the start of 2019 mid-way through The Oval Test - the primary issue surrounds the batting department.

^{Root's incredible 2021 has yet to rub-off on his teammates}

Since the start of last summer, England have recorded 11 hundreds in 18 Tests six of which have been scored by Root. Dropped duo Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley, the unavailable Ben Stokes, Rory Burns and Jos Buttler complete the list. Across the same period, India have six centuries in 13 Tests.

Buttler will return to the XI for Old Trafford after attending the birth of his second child, with either Ollie Pope or Jonny Bairstow dropping out. Moeen Ali remains as the front-line spin option, potentially delaying Jack Leach's return, to add extra depth.

Root is hoping his own form will start to rub off on his teammates. However, having already recorded six tons and climbed to the top of the ICC Test batting rankings in 2021, if his excellence hasn't made a difference yet it could be argued that it may never.

"By the guys going out there and doing what I just said, grabbing the game," the 30-year-old replied when asked how his team can find form. "You've got to do that yourself and that comes from within. 

"It also comes from a good partnership and having someone at the other end to work with.

"Ultimately, as a player when you get in you have to get greedy. can you be the one to make that big score and put us in a position of strength and be part of a big partnership. Having clarity in how you want to go and play and a clear understanding of the game. 

"It is not something that I've always got right. I spent long periods of my career where I was very guilty of getting in and getting out. It might happen again in the future but I hope it doesn't. 

"What I have managed to do well this year is I know how to score my runs and where my strengths are. I've trusted my decision-making under pressure and when I have got in I feel I've got that mindset that it is going to take something very special to get me out and hopefully that can be infectious. 

"It takes that one person to go and do it and it can quickly spread like wildfire into the rest of the group. Hopefully, that can materialise this week."