Former Australian captain Ian Chappell believes Joe Root‘s abilities as a red-ball batter will be tested in upcoming series against India at home and Australia away. Chappell notes that both teams currently have the strongest bowling attacks in Test cricket.
Root is the top run-scorer in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), having scored 5,287 runs in 60 matches at an average of 52.87, including 17 centuries and 20 fifties. He recently became England’s all-time leading run-scorer in Tests, surpassing Alastair Cook.
In his ESPNcricinfo column, Chappell pointed out that the in-form England batter faces two significant challenges ahead, referring to the Test series against India and Australia.
“Root’s phenomenal run-making will again be tested when first he faces India at home and then Australia away. In those two series Root will be facing the best attacks in Test cricket, and his technique against both pace and spin will again be fully scrutinised.”
“Those are difficult challenges that Root and England will face in the future. Currently they’re desperately involved in a bid to win after Pakistan levelled their three-game series with a spin-revolution victory against a clueless England,” the 81-year-old former Aussie batter added.
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India will play five Tests in England from June 20 to August 4. Following that, Australia and England will face off in the 2025-26 Ashes series from November 21 to January 8.
“He needs to reevaluate the extra bounce”- Chappell regarding Root’s lack of a Test century in Australia
Although Root boasts an impressive Test record in many countries, he has yet to score a century in Australia. In 27 Test innings there, the former England captain has accumulated 892 runs at an average of 35.68, including nine half-centuries.
The right-handed batsman has frequently been dismissed caught behind in Test matches in Australia. Chappell believes this is a facet of Root’s game that he needs to reevaluate as he prepares for the Ashes. He stated in his column:
“In Australia, the four main bowlers have dismissed Root a number of times and this could be pointed to as a weakness. Nevertheless there’s an easy answer: if you’re going to be dismissed, it’s preferable to get out to a good bowler.”
“The more worrying Root statistic in Australia is the number of times he’s been caught behind. Keepers have had a bonanza as ten times they’ve clasped Root’s edges in just 27 innings.”
”While he could counter with “you’ve got to be good enough to nick ’em”, it does suggest he needs to re-assess the extra bounce Australian pitches provide,” Chappell concluded.
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Root ranks fifth among all-time leading run-scorers in Test cricket. In 148 matches, he has scored 12,716 runs at an average of 51.27, including 35 centuries and 64 fifties.
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