Root has the makings of a good opener

In his column for the Hindu, Ted Corbett draws similarities between young England batsman Joe Root and Len Hutton, David Gower and Kevin Pietersen, even as he explains why he thinks Root will be a good opener for England during the Ashes.

His bat is straight, his ability to leave the ball around off stump is without fault - as you might expect of a lad raised on testing Yorkshire pitches - and a natural-born opener and he is so calm that he ought to be renamed Joe Cool.

All he needs is a bit of luck and he may have already been granted that blessing.