England captain Joe Root said Tuesday he had been sledged
during his cricket career for looking like American comedian and chat show host
Ellen DeGeneres.
Sledging, the practice where a fielding side verbally
abuses a batsman to disturb his concentration, can take many forms.
But Root said he understood what had led opponents to come
up with the unusual jibe.
“I’ve been called Ellen DeGeneres on a number of
occasions over the course of my career,” Root told BBC Radio 1.
“I think there’s a likeness there.”
With the start of the English cricket season suspended
until July at the earliest because of the coronavirus, Root, 29, appeared on
the pop music station to select some of his favourite records.
He opted for ‘Mardy Bum’ by the Arctic Monkeys and ‘She
Moves In Her Own Way’ by the Kooks as his opening two ‘Mancave Anthems’.
His choices also included ‘The Greatest Show’ as a tribute
to England star all-rounder Ben Stokes.
