England’s star batter Joe Root resorted to an unusual tactic to shine the ball on Day 1 of the second Test against Pakistan in Multan. During the first innings on October 15, Root used his teammate Jack Leach’s bald head to maintain the ball’s shine. With saliva banned due to COVID-19 protocols, cricketers have had to find creative ways to keep the ball polished. And Root’s chosen method? He rubbed the ball on Leach’s gleaming scalp! Yes, you read that right—England’s premier batter buffed the ball on his teammate’s head in the middle of play.
If this seems like a spontaneous moment of genius, think again. Root has pulled this stunt before. During England’s 2022 tour of Pakistan, Root rubbed the ball on Leach’s head in the 73rd over of the first Test. It seems that when it comes to Root, nothing is off the table—whether he’s scoring runs or finding innovative ways to keep the red ball shiny.
As for the ongoing match, the second Test between Pakistan and England kicked off at the Multan Stadium. Shan Masood won the toss, with Pakistan opting to bat first. Interestingly, Pakistan chose the same pitch used in the first Test, which turned out to be a high-scoring affair. In the first Test, England overwhelmed Pakistan with an innings victory, scoring over 800 runs.
This time, Pakistan prepared for a spin-friendly track, which brought Jack Leach into action early. Leach made an immediate impact, claiming two wickets in his first three overs, leaving Pakistan struggling at 19/2. He became the first England spinner to take wickets within the first ten overs of a Test since 1889. Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique and captain Shan Masood were Leach’s victims, but Kamran Ghulam, on debut, scored a half-century, partnering with Saim Ayub to stabilize Pakistan’s innings.
