India, Sept. 9 -- Pakistan have been comprehensively outplayed by England in the opening two Tests of the series, leaving them 2-0 down and facing the prospect of a whitewash heading into the third and final Test. The one-sided nature of the contests has inevitably brought criticism of the visitors, with questions being raised over whether Pakistan have shown enough fight against an England side that has controlled large parts of the series.

Joe Root, however, has strongly rejected that assessment. Speaking ahead of the third Test, the England captain insisted Pakistan had presented his team with challenges and suggested that simply portraying the series as one side playing well and the other playing poorly was an unfair interpretation o...