Cricket: Cool Root impresses Pietersen

13Dec 2012

Kevin Pietersen believes Joe Root could have a successful England career after the Yorkshireman made an unbeaten 31 on the first day of the final Test against India.

Root's Test debut could not have been much harder as England were struggling on 139-5 when he came in to bat but he went on to share an unbroken 60-run partnership with Matt Prior (34no) for the sixth wicket. The 21-year-old was a surprise inclusion in the England side for the Nagpur Test, replacing Samit Patel at number six instead of Jonny Bairstow and Eoin Morgan. But he showed why the selectors have faith in him, by accumulating runs at a steady pace on a tricky wicket, which led Pietersen to say: "Joe was brilliant. He's his own man, he played some lovely cricket shots. He's got a good head on his shoulders. "He's shown signs of what could be a very good Test career." England are 21/10 with bet365 to win the fourth Test while India can be backed at 11/10 to level the series at 2-2.