JOE ROOT has been a busy man over the past month, scoring back to back Test centuries and captaining England to a 2-0 series win in Sri Lanka.

But he has never forgotten his roots, and while out in Asia, he has taken the time to send an inspiring message to the youngsters at his county side Yorkshire.

Though the first-team are back in training, the club's Pathways programme, for cricketers of school age, has had to be suspended.

Pathways is for talented young cricketers whose skills and abilities have been recognised through their selection for junior representative sides at County, District, and/or Yorkshire Junior Cricket Festival (Taverners) level.

In essence, the scheme is the means by which elite young cricketers in Yorkshire can access the best winter coaching provided by Yorkshire cricket, to support them in reaching their full potential as cricketers.

Obviously they cannot access that coaching at the moment, but in his video message, Root encourages any despondent young cricketers to think outside the box.

He tells them how important it is to work on the mental side of the game, and how they can visualise shots, field positions etc.

And he offered them a timely reminder that all of this is important for when match action does get going again later in the year.

Root's next assignment with England is four Tests against India, with the first one getting underway in Chennai on Friday.