(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] England suffered a pummeling at the hands of South Africa at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai last week.
South Africa went to tho record their highest ODI total versus England, ending up their innings at a score of 399 with Heinrich Klaasen hitting yet another century.
The England batters were then floored by the Proteas as all they could manage was a total of 170 in the run-chase that included 35 and 43 runs from their tailenders Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood respectively.
Speaking after this horrific defeat, England batter Joe Root, who scored a six-ball two versus South Africa, delved on the tough weather conditions in Mumbai.
He even went on to say that it was getting tough for the players to catch their breath, stating that he has not experienced such extreme weather before.
“I’ve not played in anything like that before. I’ve obviously played in hotter conditions, and probably more humid conditions. But it just felt like you couldn’t get your breath. It was like you were eating the air. It was unique. You could see it with [Heinrich] Klaasen. You could see how much it took out of him, not being able to get back out onto the field,” Root said as quoted at a press conference in Bengaluru.
He then shared a bit if details on Adil Rashid, who did not look 100 per cent fit in England’s recent encounter.
“I mean you couldn’t get away from it. You walk out onto the field and your shirt’s soaking wet, and you have a lot heavier breath than you would do, and you know you’ve done your fitness and stuff, it’s not like you’re short on that. So you are very aware of it.
“Rash [Rashid], bless him, I don’t think was great going into the game. He put in a brilliant performance for us. Some of the noises he was making when he was walking back to his mark summed it up, really. Trying to get his breath back. It was tough, but that’s the sort of stuff that you come up against and contend with when you come out to play in India at this time of year,” Root shared.
England have traveled to Bengaluru from Mumbai. They will face Sri Lanka on October 26 there. Currently, the Jos Buttler side is lagging behind on the points table at the second-last place, having lost three of their four fixtures.