England’s Joe Root is yet to score an Ashes hundred in Australia, something the local media were quick to remind him of as he landed in the country for this winter’s series. Ahead of the first Test in Perth, Nasser Hussain looks at why Root is well placed to break that duck, why a century in Australia may have eluded him so far, and what is fuelling the batter ahead of his fourth Ashes tour.
Root seems in a really good place at the moment, clearly enjoying playing with and for his great mate Ben Stokes. His game is in very good order and has been for a long time. He hasn’t had a period where he has struggled for runs and over the last couple of years especially he has taken that consistency to new levels.
I remember when people used to talk about Root not converting 70s and 80s, but those days are gone. He converts scores into hundreds — big hundreds. He does all of that with a smile on his face and is a joy to watch: pleasing on the eye, a wonderful touch player, and above all a great ambassador for the game. An example of that came last summer when he paid tribute to Graham Thorpe by putting on the headband after scoring a century in the Thorpey tribute Test against India at The Oval.
Why is Root yet to score a hundred in Australia?
Root has been a machine throughout his career, but the series coming up is what everyone has highlighted because he is yet to score an Ashes hundred in Australia. So why is that?
Joe Root’s Ashes record in Australia to date
– Series: 3
– Matches: 14
– Innings: 27
– Total runs: 892
– Average: 35.68
– Highest score: 89 (Brisbane, December 2021)
– Most recent score: 11 (Hobart, January 2022)
– Hundreds: 0
– Half-centuries: 9
– Ducks: 2
Firstly, he has often faced a superb Australian attack. The quartet of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon are among the best, with Scott Boland backing them up. Also, a shot Root plays everywhere — the run-down to third man with soft hands, much like Kane Williamson — yields a lot of runs, but in Australia the extra bounce can cause him to nick off even when he plays late and with soft hands. He has been a bit vulnerable in that corridor of fourth and fifth stump.
Overall in Tests in Australia and England, Root has been dismissed 11 times by Pat Cummins, who will miss at least the first game of this series through injury. Sometimes the speed gun for a seamer can say one thing, but because of skill, length and late movement they rush you and seem even quicker. Cummins bowls the right lengths to Root, not letting him sit on the back foot and bringing both edges into play. Look at the dismissals and you’ll see nick-offs but also deliveries nipping back to get him bowled and lbw.
Root has also carried the extra responsibility of captaincy on the last two tours to Australia, and especially in 2021/22 he had a lot to deal with in the Covid era. Rob Key was amazed at all the stuff Joe had to manage on that trip with problems on and off the field. When results start going against you and the wheels come off, it weighs on a player, as does coming out to bat at 20-2. Hopefully he won’t be doing that in this series.
Root “won’t care one bit” about newspaper headlines
When Root landed in Australia this time, the West Australian newspaper ran an “Average Joe” headline, but he won’t care. He just wants to win The Ashes for his mate Stokes and for this regime. That’s what will be fuelling him.
That elusive away Ashes ton people talk about and England winning are related. If the team are to regain The Ashes, you’d think Root will have to have a stellar series, like Marnus Labuschagne or Steve Smith have for Australia. But the hundred thing is overplayed and overrated. He would love to get it, and if he did in Perth it would stop the chat, but it won’t be the end of the world if he doesn’t.
He just wants runs every time he goes out to bat. That’s what has made him the machine he is. He will have the same mindset this time and will know it is vital that he gets runs.
So, will Joe get that hundred? Perhaps. Probably. But if he scores three hundreds and England lose The Ashes, or he gets a load of 90s and England win The Ashes, I’d prefer the latter. The story in the weeks ahead is about England winning more Tests than Australia — and Root getting a hundred will obviously help that. Let’s hope he does and that England win.
Ashes series in Australia 2025-26 (All times UK and Ireland)
– First Test: Friday November 21 – Tuesday November 25 (2.30am) – Optus Stadium, Perth
– Second Test (day/night): Thursday December 4 – Monday December 8 (4.30am) – The Gabba, Brisbane
– Third Test: Wednesday December 17 – Sunday December 21 (12am) – Adelaide Oval
– Fourth Test: Thursday December 25 – Monday December 29 (11.30pm) – Melbourne Cricket Ground
– Fifth Test: Sunday January 4 – Thursday January 8 (11.30pm) – Sydney Cricket Ground