India Employs Wind-Up Strategy to Disrupt Joe Root in Fifth Test

India pacer Prasidh Krishna revealed that provoking England's Joe Root during the fifth Test at The Oval was a deliberate strategy to disrupt the batsman, which led to a tense on-field exchange requiring umpire intervention. Although the verbal duel was intended as competitive banter between good friends, Root's animated reaction surprised Prasidh, who acknowledged the plan was to get under Root's nerves and affect his performance. Former England captains Alastair Cook and Michael Vaughan noted that the tactic effectively unsettled Root, who was dismissed for 29, below his series average. Despite the intense moments, both teams maintained mutual respect off the field, with India’s bowling unit trusting each other to recover after a tough morning session. India gained a 52-run lead with eight wickets remaining by the end of day two, positioning themselves well for the remainder of the match. England's assistant coach Marcus Trescothick commented on the sportsmanship displayed amid the heated exchanges, emphasizing the ongoing good spirit between the teams.