Joe Root and the century of the elusive Ashes
Such is the nature of top sport that it is perhaps predictable that Joe Root’s revision of Sir Alastair Cook’s England record for Test centuries would lead many commentators to turn their focus to the Yorkshireman’s alleged Achilles heel at Test level: his record against Australia. In particular, when it comes to the doubters, it is the record of the maestro born in Dore, Australia itself. A record total of 40.46 against Australia in 34 Tests includes 14 matches Down Under where Root is yet to score a century and averages 35.68. Root’s record compared to other established Test participating nations – India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies – is enviable and a statistical testament to his undoubted class.
Spotlighting Joe Root’s record against Australia is a natural by-product of the intense Ashes rivalry. However, when compared to the record of one of his “The Big Four” clubmates Kane Williamson, one relative blemish on Root’s record so far seems less stark than it might otherwise appear.
Root’s current assessment comes as part of a year-long arms-rattling ahead of another Anglo-Australian clash, starting in November 2025. Former Australian left-hander Darren Lehmann and – to no one’s surprise – Ian Chappell, a man of rare cricketing stature, weighed in on Root. Lehmann stated that Root should not be considered an all-time great as he is yet to score a Test ton in Australia and even placed the Yorkshireman a rung below Williamson and Virat Kohli. Chapelli, on the other hand, is full of praise for the former England captain, saying “Root was born to run. He is a joy to watch, as he balances between solid technique and a desire for the core at every opportunity“.
Technically, however, Chappell noted a flaw in Root’s armory that might explain his less-than-flattering record on Australian pitches, claiming “the more worrying statistic in Australia is the number of times he has been caught behind. The keepers were happy as they caught Root’s blades ten times in 27 innings. While he might retort with “you’ve got to be good enough to outscore them”, it suggests he needs to reassess the extra bounce Australia’s bowlers provide.”
Lack of century aside, it is worth noting that Root scored nine half-centuries against the Australians. Compared to Kane Williamson, Root’s overall record against the Aussies is better – 40.46 as opposed to the New Zealander’s average of 36.95. Against India, Williamson’s record is significantly inferior, averaging 37.86 in 20 runs less than Root’s 58.03, while in head-to-head matches against his country, Root averages 54.06 to Williamson’s 39.62 against England.
Batting against South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the Kiwi has a statistical advantage over the Yorkshireman. However, averages of 62.82 for Williamson against South Africa and 46.53 for England against the same opposition do not exactly embarrass Root. Neither do direct comparisons with Pakistan (66.04 and 49.34), Sri Lanka (74.02 and 62.54) and West Indies (60.62 vs. 56.03).
Where Williamson has a clear advantage is his accumulation of two Test hundreds against the Australians. As for Ian Chappell’s thoughts on Root’s adaptability to Australian surfaces, the New Zealander, in contrast, is acknowledged to have a very specific approach, quite different from his peers. Avoiding excessive stride in pushing forward, Williamson’s initial movement is firm but not as pronounced as his contemporaries. Equally crucial is the ability to play late.
Ricky Ponting noted that Williamson “does not take a big step forward” and that he “he plays ball later than everyone else“. The former captain of the English national team Nasser Hussain, evaluating Williamson’s technical strength, pointed out the economy of movement, the position of the hands and the footwork which are the basis of his success. Advancing the theory of the imaginary “box” Hussain noted “imagine you have a box around waist height and a little below. If you get your hands outside of that box, you play the ball early. If you can keep him in the box, you play late”.
Hands placed outside the imaginary “corner” would also, Hussain argued, increase the likelihood of tracking the ball outside the off-stump and taking a chance at “keeper and slip”. Hussain had no doubt that it was this compactness that contributed to Kane Williamson’s success. Perhaps a similar adjustment by Root on Australian wickets would pay off and convince Chappelli’s opinion that the Englishman needs to reassess his bounce on those surfaces.
What will ultimately give Joe Root the much sought-after Ashes century is the method that Ian Chappell so praised. It is a technique shaped by modern times, but also one that starts from first principles and is a method that is, at its core, a product of the Yorkshire turf that has produced some of the greatest batting technicians in the history of the game. When Neville Cardus described Sir Leonard Hutton as someone who played with “blueprint in your mind” could easily describe Joe Root nearly 70 years later.
Stylistically, Root’s Yorkshire cricketing lineage is evident in everything from the light grip of the bat handle to the splayed leg stance at the crease, while the balance on his feet is reminiscent of Sir Geoffrey Boycott himself. Alert, lateral and able to switch to the back and front foot with light dexterity, Root displays a classicism that stretches from Hutton and Sutcliffe though Boycott, Bill Athey and now Harry Brook, a method so typical of his home county.
Watching footage of Mike Gatting’s England in Australia on their 1986/87 victory tour, the resemblance between Athey and Root is striking. Of course, Root’s gifts are of a rarefied nature in contrast to Athey’s narrower way of working, but the quintessentially Yorkshire-type attitude, footwork and positioning bear the stamp of the White Rose County.
Like Williamson Root, the hectic nature at the crease and innovative strokeplay are indicative of a player who has grown up in a multi-format cricket landscape. As such, the breath-taking classical moves that were once so typical of Root’s English predecessors such as Hammond, May, Cowdrey, Dexter and Gower are perhaps not so obviously at the forefront of his repertoire. Instead, tellingly, Root audiences will marvel at the ramp setup and its reverse iteration, both moves it’s hard to imagine his illustrious predecessors attempting, though trailblazer Dexter could have added such punches to his range.
Joe Root is England’s best modern player and a titan of the current batting field. The difference between his overall record and his figures against Australia is certainly palpable, although not as pronounced as, say, Ian Botham’s record against the West Indies and his achievements against others. If the Yorkshireman buys into Ian Chappell’s observations next winter, his wait for a Test hundred against an old foe may well be over. In a week when Root and fellow Yorkshireman Harry Brook top the men’s ICC Test batting rankings, his followers will take heart that the modern batting great still has plenty left in the tank and, perhaps, something to prove.