Joe Root is about to make his first red-ball look for Yorkshire in nearly two years as he prepares to line up in opposition to Gloucestershire this week within the second spherical of the County Championship.
Root, whose solely home cricket final 12 months got here within the Hundred for Trent Rockets following the Ashes, was introduced in Yorkshire’s 13-man squad for the journey to Bristol. After lacking the opening fixture in opposition to Leicestershire following the two-month tour of India, Root will play the subsequent 4 rounds, adopted by a visit away to Northamptonshire for the seventh spherical which begins on Could 24. The 33-year-old final performed first-class cricket for his dwelling county in Could 2022 in opposition to Warwickshire, a month after stepping down as Take a look at captain, earlier than enjoying 3 times within the T20 Blast as much as June.
It’s a additional enhance to Yorkshire’s promotion hopes after they welcomed again Harry Brook for the primary of his five-game stint final week. Brook, who had not performed since England’s white-ball tour of the West Indies in December after withdrawing from the India sequence following the demise of his grandmother Pauline, returned to motion with a crisp unbeaten 100 off simply 69 deliveries. Brook’s final fixture will probably be in opposition to Glamorgan at dwelling, beginning Could 3, earlier than taking a break forward of England’s T20 sequence in opposition to Pakistan that leads into the T20 World Cup.
Following an detached tour of the subcontinent, throughout which he scored 320 runs at 35.55, with only one century coming within the fourth Take a look at as India triumphed 4-1, Root will use the subsequent month to tune up forward of a bumper six months. England welcome West Indies and Sri Lanka for three-Take a look at sequence this season, the primary of which begins at Lord’s on July 10. They then journey to Pakistan and New Zealand earlier than the top of the 12 months.
Yorkshire will hope to profit from the provision of each their stars as they appear to return to Division One, having suffered relegation in 2022. They have been hamstrung final summer season by a 48-point deduction that decimated any hopes of a right away return however are thought of favourites to re-emerge from Division Two this time round.
