England’s star batter Joe Root is preparing for a special Ashes series later this year in Australia, as he aims to achieve something he has never done before – score a Joe Root Ashes Century. For the 34-year-old, this year’s Ashes tour is more than just another cricket contest; it’s a chance to break a personal record that has eluded him for his entire career.
Root will travel to Australia in November for a five-match Test series that will count towards the ICC World Test Championship. This tour carries extra weight for the world’s No.1 ranked Test batter because, despite his outstanding career, he has yet to reach three figures in an Ashes match away from home.
Root’s Record in Australia – Strong, but Missing a Milestone
Root has played 14 Test matches in Australia without a single win to his name. Across 27 innings, he has scored nine half-centuries and has an average of 35.68 on Australian soil. While these numbers are respectable, they highlight the missing achievement, a Joe Root Ashes Century.
Over his career, Root has notched up an impressive 39 Test hundreds, but none of them have come in Australia. For a player of his calibre, this is a surprising gap in his cricketing story, and it’s something he is determined to fix this time.
Speaking about his upcoming challenge, Root admitted that his past attempts to score a century in Australia were affected by wanting it too much.
“Having played in Australia a couple of times before, now going with 150-odd Test caps under my belt, I feel I couldn’t be more ready for it,” Root said. “The thing that stands out for me is I probably wanted it (a century) way too much the last couple of times. It took me away from what was important.”
This year, Root hopes to approach the game with a clearer mind and focus purely on his batting to finally bring up that Joe Root Ashes Century.
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Learning from Past Tours
Root’s previous tours to Australia have been challenging for reasons beyond just cricket. During the 2021-22 Ashes, the Covid-19 pandemic created difficult conditions for all players, adding pressure both on and off the field. Before that, other incidents had overshadowed the cricket, such as Ben Stokes’ off-field issue and Jonny Bairstow’s headbutt incident.
As England’s captain during those tours, Root also carried the responsibility of leading the team, which added extra stress. Looking back, he feels that these factors distracted him from focusing on his batting and prevented a Joe Root Ashes Century from happening.
“There were a lot of distractions,” Root admitted. “I was captain, Covid (in 2021-22), there was the (Ben) Stokes incident the time before that, the Jonny (Bairstow) headbutt incident as well. This time I want to just go and enjoy the tour for what it is. It is a beautiful country; it is a great place to go and play cricket. I know if I put my best performances in, then everything else will look after itself.”
With the captaincy now in the hands of Ben Stokes, Root will have more freedom to focus on his batting. This, he believes, gives him his best chance yet to finally achieve that Joe Root Ashes Century.
England’s World Test Championship Hopes
This Ashes series is also hugely important for England’s position in the ICC World Test Championship. After drawing their recent home series 2-2 with India, England currently sits in fourth place on the standings. To have a realistic chance of reaching the World Test Championship Final for the first time, they will need to perform well in Australia.
Root understands that winning in Australia is no easy task, but he believes this England side is better prepared than in previous years. Under Stokes’ leadership and with Brendon McCullum as coach, the team has adopted a fearless style of play that could help them in tough conditions.
While Root’s personal goal is to score a Joe Root Ashes Century, he also knows the team’s success is the bigger picture. A series win in Australia would be a massive boost for England’s World Test Championship campaign.
If Root can combine his personal milestone with strong team performances, this tour could be remembered as the year of the Joe Root Ashes Century and an England resurgence in Test cricket.
Ready for the Challenge
Root’s determination to succeed this time is clear. With over 150 Test matches of experience, he believes he is playing some of the best cricket of his career. His plan for this tour is simple, enjoy the game, avoid unnecessary pressure, and trust his preparation.
Fans will be watching closely when the first Test begins in November, hoping to see the long-awaited Joe Root Ashes Century. If it happens, it will not only be a personal triumph for Root but also a moment of inspiration for the entire England team.
And if he can make that Joe Root Ashes Century early in the series, it could set the tone for a historic Ashes campaign. For Root, it’s not just about the runs , it’s about finally ticking off the one achievement missing from his glittering career.
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