Everything seemed to fall our way, Root on England's Headingley win

Headingley [UK], August 28 (ANI): Joe Root hailed the clinical display of England against India as hosts registered an innings and 76-run win at Headingly on Saturday and thereby levelling the five-match series 1-1 with two games to go.

The Indian innings folded up for 278 as Ollie Robinson (5/65) was on fire from the word go on Saturday. Craig Overton also pitched in with figures of 3/47 and James Anderson picked one to make it 400 wickets on home soil.

"It was a very clinical performance. We took advantage of the conditions on day one, thought we bowled exceptionally well," Joe Root said in a post-match press conference on Saturday.

"It was almost the perfect storm, everything seemed to fall our way. Perfect little nicks to the keeper got us off to a great start, it was a brilliant bowling performance. We found our lengths, exploited the wicket really well. And that opening partnership [Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed] to set things up was almost a turning point in the game for me."

"A substantial first-wicket partnership was exceptional and credit to those two lads. Under the pump off the back of last week, to come out and perform like that and get us 135-0 was brilliant. Really set the game up and gave the rest of us the opportunity to go and make that big first inning score that me and Silvers harp on to you guys about all the time."

Robinson (2-16 and 5-65) who took his second five-wicket haul in just his fourth Test was adjudged as the Man of the Match for wrapping up India's second innings for 278. Talking about him, the England captain said: "It's been phenomenal to watch him perform as he has. In the Test matches he's played, he's had big influences on all of them. He's been around the squad for a little while and we've known how skilful he is. It was almost a question of whether he'd be able to back it up in his third spell with the ball a little older. And he's shown huge skill in being able to do that time and time again with big workloads under his belt. He's shown what he is capable of doing and long may that continue."

After this victory, Joe Root became the English captain with the most Test wins. Root has led the English side a total of 55 times and won a record 27 Test matches pushing Vaughan to second on the list with 26 victories. Alastair Cook is on third with 24 victories in 59 matches. "I'm living my boyhood dream, captaining England. Something I dreamed of doing from being really small. Great group of players, who are very talented and dedicated to becoming better all the time," Root said.

"Couldn't be more proud, proud to have gone past Michael. But you don't do that on your own as a captain, it's down to the group of players and the coaching staff as well. It's all one big thing. You're the one making the decisions but they are the ones going out and time and time again putting in performances. And really proud of the way they have done that this week." (ANI)