Joe Root has yet to score a Test century in Australia, with his highest innings being 89. England are set to take on Australia in the Ashes 2025-26, kicking off with the first Test in Perth on November 21. England haven’t won a Test series on Australian soil since their 2010-11 tour, placing the spotlight firmly on their star batsman, Joe Root.
A modern cricketing great, Joe Root has played 27 innings across three tours in Australia, producing nine fifties but never reaching triple figures. With just six weeks to go before the Ashes opener, Root—who has been in phenomenal form recently—has a prime opportunity to make his mark Down Under.
“I feel ready for it. Big series are the ones you want to play in and contribute to,” Joe Root told Sky Sports.
Since his last Australian tour, Root has been in outstanding form. He has outscored legends like Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, and Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket this year, with only Sachin Tendulkar ahead of him.
Joe Root says that, free from the captaincy burden, he feels he is in a very different place now—more experienced and focused purely on his role as a player.
“I feel I am in a different place from when I last went out there. I don’t have the responsibility of captaincy, and I have gained a lot more experience. The past couple of years have been good for me, and I’ve learned valuable lessons from my previous tours to Australia, both as a batter and a senior player,” Joe Root explained.
Joe Root has never been part of an England side that has won a Test series in Australia. In his first two tours, England suffered heavy defeats—5-0 in his debut series and 4-0 in the subsequent one. Yet, with Australia facing batting struggles recently, England could capitalize on their Bazball approach and mount a serious challenge.
“That opportunity is right in front of us, and we have to seize it. If I do my job well, personal milestones will follow, but that’s not the main focus. The priority is bringing the urn back—it’s been a long time since we held it. I feel we have strong resources to take into the series and challenge Australia. Hopefully, we can get it right, and if I score heavily, it will help give the team a real chance,” he added.
