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Such is the nature of the game at the top level that it is perhaps predictable that many commentators should turn their attention to the Yorkshireman’s perceived Achilles’ heel as Root overhauls Sir Alastair Cook’s England record for Test centuries: his record against Australia. In particular, where the skeptics are concerned, it is the record of the Dore-born maestro in Australia itself. An overall record of 40.46 in 34 Tests against Australia includes 14 down matches where Root is yet to score a century and an average of 35.68. Root’s record against other established Test-playing nations – India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies – is enviable, and statistical proof of his undoubted class.
The spotlight on Joe Root’s record against Australia is a natural by-product of the intense Ashes rivalry. However, compared to the record of one of his fellow members of Kane Williamson’s “The Big Four” club, a relative blemish on Root’s track record seems less than it might otherwise appear.
Root’s current assessment comes as part of a year-long saber-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, hardly a short man in cricket’s opinion, have emphasized the route. Lehmann has said that Root should not be considered an all-time great as he is yet to score a Test century in Australia, putting the Yorkshireman behind Williamson and even Virat Kohli. Chapple, meanwhile, is full of praise for the former England captain, saying “Root was born to make runs. He is a joy to watch, as he balances solid technique with a willingness to score at every opportunity“
Technically, however, Chappell has found a flaw in the root arsenal that may account for his less-than-flattering record on Australian pitches, arguing that “A more worrying statistic in Australia is the number of times it has been caught. Keepers have had a bonanza as they have edged the route 10 times in 27 innings. While he can counter that “you have to be good enough to pick them”, he suggests he needs to reassess the extra bounce Australian pitches provide.
Apart from the lack of centuries, it is worth noting that Root has scored nine half-centuries against Australia. Compared to Kane Williamson, Root’s overall record against Australia is better – 40.46 against New Zealand’s average of 36.95. Against India, Williamson’s record is much lower, with 37.86 over 20 runs lower than Root’s 58.03, while Root’s average against each other is 54.06 compared to Williamson’s 39.62 against England.
Batting against South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the Kiwi has a statistical edge over the Yorkshireman. However, Williamson’s average of 62.82 against South Africa and the Englishman’s 46.53 against the same opposition do not exactly put Root to shame. Do not directly compare against Pakistan (66.04 vs 49.34), Sri Lanka (74.02 vs 62.54), and West Indies (60.62 vs 56.03).
Williamson has a definite edge in accumulating two Test centuries against the Australians. As for Ian Chappell’s thoughts on the adaptability of routes on Australian surfaces, in contrast, New Zealand has a very specific approach, quite different from its peers. Avoiding exaggerated lunges in forward pushes, Williamson’s early movements are firm yet not as pronounced as those of his contemporaries. The ability to play the late ball is equally important.
Ricky Ponting noted that Williamson “No further progress is made“and that”Plays the ball later than anyone” Former England captain Nasir Hussain, assessing Williamson’s technical skills, noted the economy of movement, hand position and footwork that underpin his success. Furthering the theory of the imaginary “box”, Hussain noted “Imagine you have a box around and below your waist height. If you get your hands outside that box, you’re playing the ball early. If you can keep it in your box, you’re playing it late”.
Hussain argued that a hand positioned outside the imaginary “box” would also increase the likelihood of following the ball outside the off-stump and losing the chance to ‘keeper and slip. Hussain had little doubt that this compactness contributed to Kane Williamson’s success. Perhaps a similar adjustment by route on Australian wickets will pay dividends and lend credence to Chapple’s view that the England man needs to reassess the bounce on that surface.
If Ian Chappell’s much-praised Ashes century for Root then what the method will ultimately deliver. It is a technique shaped by the modern era, but also one that starts from first principles and a method that, at its core, is a product of Yorkshire sod that has produced some of the greatest batting technicians in the history of the game. While Neville Cards described Sir Leonard Hutton as someone who “Blue print in his mindHe could easily describe Joe Root almost 70 years later.
Stylistically Root’s Yorkshire cricket pedigree is evident in everything from the light grip on the bat handle to the separation of the feet at the crease, while the balance on the ball of the leg is apathetic to Sir Geoffrey Boycott himself. Alert, side-on, and able to shift to the back and front foot with effortless dexterity, Root displays a classicism that stretches back to Hutton and Sutcliffe, though Boycott, Bill Athey and now Harry Brook, a method that is very typical. of his home county.
Watching footage of England in Australia on Mike Gatting’s 1986/87 triumphant tour, the similarities between Athey and Root are striking. Sure, Root’s gifts are of a rarefied nature in contrast to Athene’s narrow mode of operation, but the essential Yorkshire boilerplate of attitude, footwork and position bears the stamp of the White Rose County.
As Williamson Root’s busy nature at the crease and innovative strokeplay are indicative of a player who has grown up in the multi-format cricketing landscape. As such, the gasp-inducing classical strokes that were once typical of Root’s English forebears such as Hammond, May, Cowdrey, Dexter and Gower may not appear at the forefront of his repertoire. Instead, say, root audiences will marvel at the deployment of the ramp and its reverse iteration, both strokes it’s hard to imagine his famous predecessor attempting, though the pioneering Dexter may well have added such shots to his repertoire.
Joe Root is England’s best modern player and a titan of the current batting landscape. The disparity between his overall record and his figures against Australia is certainly tangible, however, not as marked as Ian Botham’s record against the West Indies and his achievements against the rest. If the Yorkshireman lives up to Ian Chappell’s observations next winter, his wait for a Test century against an old foe may end. In a week in which Root and fellow Yorkshireman Harry Brook sit atop the men’s ICC Test batting rankings, followers will be mindful that this modern batting great still has plenty left in the tank and, perhaps, a bit to prove.
