Gareth Bland |
Such is the nature of top-level sport that it is perhaps predictable that Joe Root's review of Sir Alastair Cook's England record of Test centuries should cause many commentators to turn their focus to the supposed Achilles heel of Yorkshireman at Test level: his record against Australia. Specifically, as far as the doubters are concerned, it is the record of the Dore-born maestro in Australia itself. An 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 other established Test nations – India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies – is enviable and statistical proof of his undoubted class.
Spotlighting Joe Root's record against Australia is a natural by-product of an intense Ashes rivalry. However, compared to the record of one of his fellow members of the Big Four club in Kane Williamson, a relative blemish on Root's record looks less bleak than it might otherwise appear.
Root's current assessment comes as part of a year-long build-up to another Anglo-Australian clash, starting in November 2025. Former Australian left-hander Darren Lehmann and – to no one's surprise – Ian Chappell, a rarely short man of a cricketing mind, have weighted at Root. Lehmann has stated that Root should not be considered an all-time great as he is yet to play a Test in Australia and has even placed the Yorkshireman a rung below Williamson and Virat Kohli. Meanwhile, Chapelle 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 desire to participate at every opportunity“.
Technically, however, Chappell has noted a chink in Root's armour, which may be a result of his less-than-flattering record on Australian pitches, arguing “the most worrying statistic in Australia is the number of times he has been tackled. The wicketkeepers have had a bonanza as they have caught Root's edges ten times in 27 innings. While he may counter with “you have to be good enough to leave them”, this suggests he needs to reassess the extra bounces that Australian pitches offer.”
Lack of centuries aside, it is worth noting that Root has scored nine half-centuries against the Australians. Compared to Kane Williamson, Root's overall record against the Aussies is superior – 40.46 compared to an average of 36.95 for the New Zealanders. Against India, Williamson's record is significantly inferior, averaging 37.86 over 20 runs less than Root's 58.03, while in one-on-ones against each other's country Root averages 54.06 compared to Williamson's 39.62 against England.
Having faced South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the Kiwi has the statistical advantage over the Yorkshireman. However, an average of 62.82 for Williamson against South Africa and 46.53 for the Englishman against the same opposition does not embarrass Root. Neither are direct comparisons against 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 definite edge is in his amassing two Test hundreds against the Australians. As for Ian Chappell's thoughts on Root's suitability to Australian surfaces, the New Zealander, on the other hand, is admittedly taking a very specific approach, quite distinct from his peers. Eschewing an exaggerated forward thrust, Williamson's initial swing is strong but not as pronounced as his contemporaries. Equally important is the ability to play the ball late.
Ricky Ponting observed that Williamson “does not take a big step forward“and that he”plays the ball later than anyone“. Former England captain Nasser Hussain, while appreciating Williamson's technical skills, pointed to economy of movement, hand positioning and footwork as the foundation of his success. Advancing the theory of an imaginary 'box', Hussain noted “imagine you have a box about waist height and a little lower. If you get your hands out of that box, you're playing the ball early. If you can keep it in your box, you're playing it late.”
Hands positioned outside the imaginary “box” would also, Hussain argued, increase the likelihood of chasing the ball outside the off-stump and finding a chance to “keeper and slip”. Hussain had little doubt that it was this compactness that contributed to Kane Williamson's success. Perhaps a similar adjustment from Root on Australian wickets would pay dividends and lend credence to Chappelli's view that the Englishman needs to reassess his bounce on those surfaces.
What will eventually deliver that much-sought-after century of grace for Joe Root is the method that Ian Chappell so extolled. It is a technique shaped by the modern era but also one that starts from first principles and is a method which, at its core, is a product of the Yorkshire sod that produced some of the greatest kicking techniques in the history of the game . When Neville Cardus described Sir Leonard Hutton as playing with a “plan in his mindHe could easily describe Joe Root almost 70 years later.
Stylistically, Root's Yorkshire cricketing background is evident in everything from the easy grip on the bat to the wide-footed stance at the crease, while the balance on the balls of the feet is pleasing to Sir himself. Geoffrey Boycott. Alert, lateral and able to transfer to the back and front foot with effortless agility, Root displays a classicism that extends to Hutton and Sutcliffe, though to Boycott, Bill Athey and now Harry Brook, a method so typical. of his district.
Watching footage of Mike Gatting's England in Australia on their victorious 1986/87 tour, the resemblance between Athey and Root is striking. Of course, Root's gifts are of a rarefied nature in contrast to Athey's tighter modus operandi, but Yorkshire's quintessential plate of stance, footwork and positioning bears the stamp of the White Rose county.
Like Williamson Root's busy nature at the crease and innovative strokeplay are indicative of a player who has grown in a multi-format cricket landscape. As such, the gasp-inducing classical beats that were once so typical of Root's English forebears such as Hammond, May, Cowdrey, Dexter and Gower are perhaps not as prominently at the forefront of his repertoire. Instead, obviously, Root audiences will marvel at the ramp placement and its reverse repeat, both stunts it's hard to imagine his illustrious predecessors attempting, though the pioneering Dexter might have has added such shots to his range.
Joe Root is England's best modern player and a titan of the current betting landscape. The disparity between his overall record and his figures against Australia is certainly palpable, though not, say, as marked as Ian Botham's record against the West Indies and his achievements against the rest. If the Yorkshireman takes Ian Chappell's observations on board next winter, perhaps his wait for a Test hundred against the old foe will be over. In the week that Root and fellow Yorkshireman Harry Brook sit at the top of the ICC men's Test batting rankings, his followers will take heart that the modern batting great still has a lot in the tank and, perhaps, a little to try.
