Joe Root describes 'mic drop' celebration as 'most embarrassing thing I've done on a cricket field'

Joe Root described his celebration when he scored a century against India at Headingley on Tuesday as the most ‘embarrassing’ thing he had ever done on a cricket field.

Root was sheepish after the match when asked why he held out his arm and dropped his bat in the manner of a singer dropping a microphone at the end of a performance. 

Normally the most understated of cricketers on the field, Root said it was a spur of the moment decision as he got carried away by hitting a four to win the game taking him to exactly 100.

It brought up his 13th ODI century, the most ever by an England batsman. Root was on 96 with England needing only one run to win.

He hit a full toss to the midwicket boundary but if the batsmen had crossed before the ball hit the rope he would have been awarded just one run. Instead Root and Morgan held back waiting to see if the ball would go for four. 

“It was something that I immediately regretted. I've not heard the end of it, it was literally the most embarrassing thing I've done on a cricket field. I don't think it will be the last I hear of it from the group - they've been hammering me,” said Root. 

“You'd think if you were going to do a celebration like that, you'd have smacked it 30 yards out of the ground. It was just an absolute car crash.”