Joe Root, the former captain of the England cricket team, embarks on a pivotal tour of Australia with the weight of history on his shoulders. He has a remarkable record, but he is yet to score a century. That number includes 27 Test innings played in those 14 matches down in Australia. With the Ashes series up next, Root looks back on what he’s done previously and what is still to come.
The 34 year old cricketer was visiting a Chance to Shine event in Leeds. He spent time with Junior Cricketers and passed on his wealth of experience to these youngsters. This event gave Root a perfect chance to sharpen his craft and interact with the next generation of players. He is well aware of the pressure coming in the form of the forthcoming Ashes series. That’s particularly so given that he has never made a hundred down under, a nugget of information highlighted by ex-cricketer Greg Blewett, who dropped Root from his all-time England XI for just this failing.
Root speaks to the media on the evening of England’s successful bid to win an away Ashes series in his time as captain. He was quick to amend that when pressed to say if this really is England’s best chance to date. He reiterated the point that understanding performance and not just the numbers is key.
“At the end of the day this tour is not about me,” Root stated.
Yet, when Root travels, he has the burden of captaincy lifted. He arrives to a batting line-up and squad that appears more equipped to succeed than previous teams that traveled to Australia. His current batting average of 35.68 in Australia, alongside nine fifties, demonstrates his ability to perform, albeit without the elusive century. His personal best still stands at 89, a number that follows him like a ghost as he thinks about what could have been.
Despite the pressure, Root remains optimistic. But more than that, he acknowledged his deep, ruthless craving of hitting a test match century in Australia. He confessed that he may have wanted it “too much.” But Darren Lehmann, Australia’s former cricket coach, understands the importance of this tour as much as anyone. He opined that to be counted alongside an “all-time great,” Root must make a ton.
“More than anything as a senior player it is about not just performing in terms of the runs but everything else that comes with it,” Root added.
Root’s education will involve tackling a brand new bowling attack, which paves the way for danger as well as promise. He understands that past failures can weigh heavily but insists that “they are going to say what they want to say anyway so why bother worrying about it.”
The last two England captains – Root and now Ben Stokes – have failed to win a Test match on Australian soil. Beyond that, it creates even greater urgency for Root as he tries to put a stamp on his legacy while still driving the sport forward. The upcoming fifth series will be a very important barometer for him individually. It will galvanize the England squad, too, as they search for a landmark victory.
“They are going to look back on the scoreline and think that is a historic England win or not,” Root noted.
With the Ashes series just days away, Root’s performance will be all the more scrutinized. He possesses his teammates’ expectations on his shoulders. He’s very motivated to get over his mental hurdle and finally score that elusive first Test century Down Under.
Leave a Reply