Joe Root sends emphatic reminder after guiding England to historic India victory

The captain had gone but, thankfully, the captain was still there. When Ben Stokes finally put an end to his misery in the middle with the reverse-sweep shot that always looked certain to be his downfall, India smelt blood.

Unfortunately for them, Joe Rootwas unmoved, unruffled and unperturbed by the idea of Stokes’ departure precipitating an England collapse. A hero of Headingley had fluffed his lines, a living legend of Headingley had remembered his.

Ben Duckett, with his brilliant 149, was the headline act in another remarkable winning production of the Bazball era but Root’s was the skipper’s innings.

He knows how to win a Test match as captain - his 27 being the record tally - and while the mantle has long been passed to Stokes, Root will never forget how to lead with the bat.

Never mind all the talk about how England’s cavalier style will never change as long as Stokes and Brendon McCullum are in charge, Root knew what this situation called for.

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It called for England’s record run scorer to firmly remind everyone why he is the world’s number one-ranked batsman. It called for Root to show his class. It called for Root to put a lid on the Indian giddiness in the immediate wake of Stokes’ departure.

An edge flew just wide of third slip as the run chase reached its inevitable conclusion but, apart from that, Root crushed the tourists’ hope with his classical calmness.

Jamie Smith made sure victorious matters were wrapped up in belligerent, boundary-clearing Bazball style but Joeball was key to this fantastic final-day triumph.

After Smith had launched the winning six, Root calmly removed his helmet, gave his mate a quick hug and went and shook the hands of as many opponents he could find.

English cricket has produced many class acts but none have been classier than Root. And in the days of number sevens finishing huge Test run chases with slog-sweeps into the crowd, Root’s importance to this England side has never been greater.

He has the method in the madness. And, making a pursuit of 371 in the fourth innings of a Test occasionally seem routine, this was another mad win.

Although, to be fair, such was the patience and composure shown for much of this game - after India had got off to a flier on the first day - this was almost Bazball 2.0. Slightly more refined. Not Bazball with the brakes on but Bazball mainly without the bravado.

Zak Crawley, for example, has rarely been as circumspect as he was in his massive opening partnership with Duckett. And to a man, the bowlers showed persistence and doggedness in the face of some stylish and flamboyant Indian batting.

Ahead of this epic first Test, there was an orderly queue of players - and many ex-players - solemnly reminding England followers that the Ashes series in the winter should not be spoken about in the dressing-room. And they were right, of course.

But with those Ashes in mind, this was still a statement England victory. In the views of some, of course, Root - without a Test century in Australia - still has something to prove Down Under.

And he will probably do just that. But for now, with the bat if not with the captaincy, he will lead England in what promises to be another memorable summer.