We must learn from Buttler and Stokes, says captain Root after Trent Bridge drubbing

Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes put on 169 runs in 58 overs for the fifth wicket to delay England’s inevitable defeat in Nottingham, after the hosts’ top order had crumpled to 62 for four against India’s seam attack

^{England captain Joe Root, centre}

Joe Root says England’s batsmen need to learn from the way Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes applied themselves during their second-innings partnership at Trent Bridge as they head to Southampton for the fourth Test against India.

Buttler and Stokes put on 169 runs in 58 overs for the fifth wicket to delay England’s inevitable defeat in Nottingham, after the hosts’ top order had crumpled to 62 for four against India’s seam attack.

England have now lost their first four wickets for 100 or less in exactly half of their Test-match innings since the start of 2016 and Root wants to see his team-mates making the lead from Buttler and Stokes when they look to wrap up series victory at the Ageas Bowl.

“That’s a real lesson to our side of how to play Test match cricket,” Root said after the 203-run loss on Wednesday.

^{Jos Buttler is congratulated by Ben Stokes upon reaching his century}

“Not that they scored at a slow rate or looked more defensive but the way they adapted to the situation, built the partnership and seemed very clear about how they were going to get those runs.

“We have to make sure we adapt our own games individually to make sure we get scores above 400.”

Question marks will again be raised over England’s opening pair, who have failed to get a half-century between them.

Alastair Cook has made just 80 runs in the series so far and Keaton Jennings averages 20.5 this summer following his recall to the Test team.

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“If you look at this series and some of the conditions we’ve played in, it’s been very challenging for the top order on both sides,” Root said.

“It’s very easy to look past that.”

Buttler, however, has silenced some of his doubters by top-scoring in each of England’s two innings at Trent Bridge.

His 106 second time around was his maiden Test ton and Root believes it could be the first of many.

“It’s great to see what we all know he’s capable of doing and hopefully it’s just a start now and he can go on to score many more hundreds in this format,” the England captain said.