England Test skipper Joe Root has joined Sydney Thunder for the next season of Twenty20 Big Bash League in Australia, that runs from 18 December to 17 February.

The 27-year-old will join compatriot Jos Buttler for the 1st half of the season during a six-week window in November after England’s Test tour of Sri Lanka, and breaking off in January to report for the national team for the tour of the Caribbean.

Joe Root and Jos Buttler join the #ThunderNation. Story: https://t.co/7jljmhSzQ4 pic.twitter.com/47MDK370BM

— Sydney Thunder (@ThunderBBL) August 23, 2018

It will be Root’s first ever overseas Twenty20 contract outside England in an attempt to save his unstable career in the shortest format.

With a World T20 coming up in Australia in 2020, the right-handed batsman has decided that he needs to keep up with the latest trends in the shortest format and make himself more attractive to IPL franchises.

He has played 28 T20 Internationals for England and has a good average of 35.77.

Root will make his Thunder debut against the Melbourne Stars on December 21.