'Even Coldplay can't be number one every week' - Root

Joe Root admitted England did not play their champion cricket against Sri Lanka, but "Coldplay can’t beryllium number 1 each week".

The location broadside put successful their worst capacity since coach Brendon McCullum took complaint to beryllium beaten by 8 wickets successful nan 3rd Test astatine The Kia Oval.

In doing so, England missed nan chance to grounds a 100% location summertime for nan first clip successful 20 years.

"We are not ever going to get it correct each of nan time," batter Root told Test Match Special. "For 90% of nan summertime we have. We person shown what a bully squad we tin be."

England person still won 5 of their six Tests this summer, beating West Indies 3-0 and Sri Lanka 2-1.

Still, their capacity astatine The Oval was incredibly wasteful and allowed nan awesome Sri Lankans to gain their first triumph successful 11 Tests against England.

In nan first innings, England collapsed from 261-3 to 325 each out, past were hustled retired for a dismal 156 successful 34 overs successful nan 2nd innings.

That near Sri Lanka a triumph target of 219, which they were taken to connected nan 4th greeting by Pathum Nissanka's outstanding 127 not out. It is only Sri Lanka's 4th triumph successful a Test successful this country.

"I don't deliberation we played our champion cricket this week and that is going to hap from clip to time," added Root. "Coldplay can't beryllium number 1 each week."

England's capacity led to an accusation of complacency from erstwhile skipper Sir Alastair Cook, while different ex-skipper, Michael Vaughan, warned them not to "take nan mickey retired of Test cricket".

But Ollie Pope, who deputised for nan injured Ben Stokes arsenic England skipper for nan Sri Lanka series, rejected suggestions his squad were lacking "hunger".

"I wouldn't opportunity it's a deficiency of an separator aliases not really having that desire to spell and put together a monolithic score," said Pope.

"It tin conscionable hap successful cricket, and it's been a bully spread since we past did that."

Pope, starring England for nan first time, said he loved "every bit" of nan job, but is fresh to manus nan reins backmost to Stokes erstwhile he returns to fitness.

Stokes injured his hamstring playing for Northern Superchargers successful The Hundred past month. He is expected to beryllium fresh for England's circuit of Pakistan successful October.

That bid was owed to beryllium played successful Karachi, Multan and Rawalpindi,but renewal activity is apt to render Karachi unavailable.

Despite immoderate proposal that portion of nan bid could return spot extracurricular of Pakistan, that is now not thought to beryllium nan case, pinch caller venues expected to beryllium confirmed this week.

Following that, England will sanction their squad. Zak Crawley is besides hopeful he will subordinate Stokes successful returning aft nan opener missed nan Sri Lanka bid because of a surgery finger.

England besides person a flimsy interest complete nan fittingness of gait bowler Gus Atkinson, who struggled during nan 3rd Test because of a thigh problem.

As a consequence he has been withdrawn from nan upcoming one-day bid against Australia and replaced by Olly Stone.

"I deliberation he's OK," said Pope. "He's sewage a mates of weeks disconnected now to refresh. I've chatted to him and he said it feels amended coming than erstwhile he first felt it. Fingers crossed he's each good."