Such is the perhaps typical and predictable nature of high-level sport that Joe Root's overhaul of Sir Alastair Cook's England record of Test centuries must cause many commentators to shift their focus towards the Yorkshireman's supposed Achilles' heel at Test level: his record. against Australia. Specifically, as far as skeptics are concerned, it is the record for a maestro born in the role in Australia itself. The overall record of 40.46 against Australia over 34 Tests includes 14 matches Down Under where Root is yet to score a century and averages 35.68. Root's record against the other Test 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 byproduct of the intense competition in the Ashes. However, compared to the record of one of his fellow members of 'The Big Four' club in Kane Williamson, the one relative blemish on Root's track record seems less obvious than it might otherwise appear.
Root's current assessment comes as part of a year-long saber rattling before another Anglo-Australian showdown, starting in November 2025. The left-handed former Australian player Darren Lehmann, and – to no one's surprise – Ian Chappell, a man who is rarely short. From a cricketing point of view, they affected the root. Lehmann has stated that Root should not be considered a great at all as he is yet to make a Test ton in Australia and has put the Yorkshireman down a notch to Williamson and Virat Kohli. Meanwhile, Chappelle praised the former England captain, saying: “Root was born to do running. He's a joy to watch, as he balances a strong style with a desire to shine at every opportunity“.
Technically, though, Chappell noted a flaw in Root's armory which could explain his less than flattering record on Australian grounds, saying “The most alarming statistic in Australia is the number of times it is left behind. The bouncers were hugely rewarded as they netted Root's edges ten times in 27 runs. While he could respond by saying “You have to be good enough to hit them”, it suggests he needs to re-evaluate the extra bounce that Australian pitches provide.
Apart from the lack of centuries, it is worth noting that Root has made nine half-centuries against the Australians. Compared to Kane Williamson, Root's overall record against the Australians is superior – 40.46 to the New Zealander's average of 36.95. Against India, Williamson's scoring is by far the lowest, with an average of 37.86 over 20 overs lower than Root's 58.03, while in head-to-head encounters against another country, Root's average is 54.06 to Williamson's 39.62 against England.
By batting against South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the Kiwis have a statistical advantage over the Yorkshireman. However, Williamson's average of 62.82 against South Africa and the Englishman's 46.53 against the same opponent doesn't exactly embarrass Root. There are no direct comparisons with Pakistan (66.04 and 49.34), Sri Lanka (74.02 and 62.54), and the West Indies (60.62 versus 56.03).
Where Williamson has a particular advantage is in his accumulation of Test hundreds against the Australians. As for Ian Chappell's thoughts on Root's ability to adapt to Australian surfaces, the New Zealander, by contrast, is known to take a very specific approach, quite distinct from his peers. Avoiding an exaggerated rush of pushing forward, Williamson's initial movement is steady but not as pronounced as that of his contemporaries. Equally important is the ability to play the ball late.
Ricky Ponting noted that Williamson “Not taking a huge step forward“and that”He plays ball later than everyone else“. Former England captain Nasser Hussain, while assessing Williamson's technical prowess, pointed to the economy of movement, hand positioning and footwork that represent the cornerstone of his success. Hussain pointed to the advancement of the theory of the imaginary “box.”Imagine that you have a round chest about the height of your waist and just below. If you put your hands outside this box you are playing the ball too early. “If you can keep it in your box, you're playing it late.”
Hussain argued that placing the hands outside the imaginary “box” would also increase the likelihood of following the ball outside the stump and taking a “bouncer and slip” opportunity. Hussein had no doubt that it was this compactness that contributed to Kane Williamson's success. Perhaps a similar adjustment by Root on the Australian wicket would pay dividends and give credence to Chappelle's view that the Englishman needs to re-evaluate bounce on those surfaces.
What will ultimately deliver that much-sought after Joe Root century after the Ashes is the manner in which he was praised by Ian Chappell. It is a technique shaped by the modern era, but it is also a technique that starts from first principles and is a technique that, in essence, is the product of a Yorkshire fool who 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 “A scheme in his mind“That could easily describe Joe Root almost 70 years later.
Yorkshire cricket is stylistically evident in everything from the light grip on the bat handle to the leg-splitting stance at the crease, while the balance on the balls of the feet is redolent of Sir Geoffrey Boycott himself. Alert, lateral and able to move to the back and front foot with effortless dexterity, Root displays a classicism that goes back to Hutton and Sutcliffe, though Boycott, Bill Athey and now Harry Brook, and is a method very typical of his home county.
Watching footage of Mike Gatting's England side in Australia during their triumphant tour of the 1986/87 season, the similarity between Athey and Root is striking. Root's gifts are certainly of a rarer nature in contrast to Athey's narrower running style, but the basic Yorkshire model of stance, footwork and positioning bears the stamp of the White Rose county.
Such is Williamson Root's busy nature at the crease and innovative play that is indicative of a player who has grown up in the multi-format cricket scene. As such, the striking classical hits that were once so typical of Root's English predecessors such as Hammond, May, Cowdrey, Dexter and Gower were probably not at the forefront of his repertoire. Instead, Root's audience will marvel at the ramp spread and its reverse repeat, both of which are hard to imagine being hits by his illustrious predecessors, although the pioneering Dexter may have added such shots to his repertoire.
Joe Root is the best modern English player and a giant in the current batting scene. The contrast between his overall record and his numbers against Australia is certainly palpable, although not as notable as Ian Botham's record against the West Indies and his achievements against the rest. If the Yorkshireman takes to heart Ian Chappell's observations next winter, his wait for a Test hundred against the old enemy may well be over. In a week when Root and fellow Yorkshireman Harry Brook sit atop the ICC Men's Test batting rankings, his followers will take heart that this modern batsman still has plenty left in the tank and, perhaps, little to prove.
