England great Joe Root has not given up on his dream of representing the team in another T20 World Cup. After an impressive debut campaign in SA20, South Africa’s premier T20 tournament, Root acknowledged the need to consistently find time to play the shortest format of the game.

Root featured in eight matches for the Paarl Royals in SA20 before departing for India ahead of the upcoming ODI series. He amassed 279 runs at an average of 55 and a healthy strike rate of 140. The England star registered two fifties, with a highest score of 92. He also contributed with the ball, taking five wickets with his more-than-handy off-spin.

“I think you are always a better player when you are not in the team. I am just going to try and play the best cricket I can. You look at that squad (England T20Is), it’s full of talented players. They can take the game away from the best bowlers in the world,” Joe Root told SA20.

“I want to play as much for England as I can, in all formats. But, you know, at the same time, I have got to play more T20 cricket to prove myself and see where that takes me,” he added.

Root will miss the playoffs for the Paarl Royals, who sit atop the points table after nine matches.

He has not played ODI cricket since the 2023 World Cup, but the former captain has been recalled to the white-ball setup ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025, which begins on 19 February. India and England will face off in a three-match series from 6 February, their final bilateral series before the marquee 50-over tournament.

Root has been increasingly keen to play more T20 cricket. He featured in the IPL for the first time in 2023, making three appearances for the Rajasthan Royals. He also played in the Vitality Blast and The Hundred last year. He last played T20Is for England in May 2019

Despite his renewed focus on T20 cricket, Root remains a standout performer in the Test format. In 2024, the England star amassed 1,556 runs in 17 matches at an average of 55.57, scoring six centuries and five fifties to top the Test batting charts for the calendar year.