Joe Root feels better placed than ever to score his first Test hundred in Australia as he looks to help England regain The Ashes during a “mentally fatiguing” series.
Root expects the spotlight to be on his lack of an Ashes ton overseas in the build-up to this winter’s contest, which begins in Perth on November 21, although his priority is team success.
The Yorkshireman’s highest Test innings in Australia to date across three tours is the 89 he struck in the 2021/22 series opener at Brisbane, one of his nine fifties in the country.
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Root now has 39 Test hundreds, with only Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting scoring more
Root had the added burden of captaincy on his previous two Ashes trips but is now able to focus chiefly on his batting.
Since the end of the 2021/22 Ashes – which England lost 4-0 – Root has amassed 16 hundreds and almost 4,000 runs across 44 Tests at an average of 57.14.
Root out to create ‘lifelong memories’
Speaking to Sky Sports at a celebrity Padel event in Sheffield, the 34-year-old – who averages 35.68 in Australia over 14 Tests – said: “I feel I am in a different place to when I last went out there. I haven’t got the responsibility of captaincy and I am a lot more experienced.
“I have had a good couple of years coming in and I have learned good lessons from my previous tours there as a batter and senior player.
You dream of going down to Australia as a kid. To get the honour of playing in a series like that never wears away.
England batter Joe Root
“I am sure there is going to be a lot of talk around [me not scoring a hundred as of yet] but I feel ready for it. Big series are the ones you want to play in and contribute in.
“You want to create memories with the guys that you can share for the rest of your lives. I feel that is the opportunity in front of us that we have to chase and grab.
“If I am doing my role in the team then personal accolades will come but it’s not the main focus. It’s about winning that urn back as it has been a long time since we held it.
“I feel we have some serious resources to take out there and hit Australia with. Hopefully we can get that right so if I am scoring heavily it gives us a chance.”
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Nasser Hussain and Ricky Ponting discussed what makes Root so good after he leapfrogged Ponting as the second-highest run-scorer in the history of Test cricket
‘Ashes can take its toll mentally – but India series will help’
Root says the high-octane 2-2 series draw at home to India this summer will serve England well ahead of The Ashes.
He also reiterated that their aggression with the bat and pace with the ball – Jofra Archer and Mark Wood are part of a speedy seam unit – will give his side a real chance of a first Ashes success away since the series victory under Sir Andrew Strauss in 2010/11.
England have lost all three series in Australia since, beaten in 13 of 15 Tests and drawing two.
He is looking good [as he comes back from a shoulder injury]. You know he is not going to leave any stone unturned and that he will give himself every possible chance to be absolutely ready for everything that is asked of him physically and mentally. He is very determined for us to give the best account of ourselves.
Joe Root on England captain Ben Stokes
Root added: “We got a small idea of what it is going to be like when we played against India – another huge series – so you are sort of ready for the extra stuff that sits around the games. We can take a lot of learnings into The Ashes.
“There are extra bits. The mental fatigue, a lot of cricket in a short space of time. It can take its toll mentally as well as physically so you have to have your plans.
“On the last two tours, there were a number of games, for the first two or three days, that were pretty even before Australia pulled away from us, played the conditions better than us, had better resources than us in those conditions.
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After England’s Ashes squad was announced last month, Root spoke to Sky Sports about the group giving Australia ‘something different to think about’
“We are going there with a completely different style and way of doing things in what we can hit them with, especially with the ball. We will also be aggressive and put the pressure on with the bat.”
Root was speaking at a celebrity Padel event in Sheffield, supporting children’s mental health campaign Bright Young Dreams which is part of Sheffield children’s hospital charity.
Ashes series in Australia 2025-26 🏏
All times UK and Ireland
First Test: Friday November 21-Tuesday November 25 (2.30am) – Optus Stadium, PerthSecond Test (day/night): Thursday December 4-Monday December 8 (4.30am) – The Gabba, BrisbaneThird Test: Wednesday December 17-Sunday December 21 (12am) – Adelaide OvalFourth Test: Thursday December 25-Monday December 29 (11.30pm) – Melbourne Cricket GroundFifth Test: Sunday January 4-Thursday January 8 (11.30pm) – Sydney Cricket Ground
