 |
| Advertisement |
Rory McIlroy at the Masters. Lionel Messi at the World Cup. Roger Federer at Roland Garros.
There are examples throughout sports history where players cross the line from greats to the all-time best. Moments where they overcome the final hurdle, one that has eluded them for years.
Joe Root could retire tomorrow and would go down as one of cricket’s best. Captain of his country, the second all-time run scorer and the best ever Englishman, a World Cup winner, Ashes winner and he’s even got a Test fifer.
And yet, one achievement has escaped him in his 12 years of Test cricket – a century on Australian soil.
His best effort came the last time England were Down Under. With the visitors having been skittled for 147, they were chasing 278 to avoid losing by an innings at the first Test in Brisbane. As has often been the case with Root, he performed when everyone else around him seemed to struggle.
England’s forgettable opening partnership of Haseeb Hameed and Rory Burns made 40 between them. Dawid Malan’s 82 steadied the ship but Root’s 89 would prove to be the biggest score of England’s second innings and they duly lost by nine wickets, a portent for the 4-0 thumping Australia would inflict on their biggest rivals.
At home, Root has not been so troubled. He has reached triple digits on four occasions, most recently in June 2023 with a 118* at Edgbaston, and yet series-defining success in the hostile climate of Australia remains the final piece of the puzzle, the last hurdle he must overcome before there can be no doubt he belongs amongst cricket’s best ever.
Root’s emergence has coincided with a dreadful run of form for England in the opposition’s backyard. His first away series in 2013 was dominated by the frightening pace bowling of Mitchell Johnson. The even fresher-faced Yorkshireman managed 192 from his eight innings as no Englishman cracked the top six of run scorers.
The next time he was there was as captain and leading a fairly unconvincing batting lineup. The result was predictable, Australia won 4-0 and Root may have had a chance to reach his 100 in the dead-rubber final Test had he not been forced to retire on 58* with a viral gastroenteritis bug.
His most recent series summed up his time as captain. Burdened by the added responsibility of not only guiding the team but being the face put up in front of the media after another defeat, he averaged 32.2.
But in the three years since England were last in Australia, Root has solidified his reputation as one of the greats. Loosened from the shackles of captaincy and given the freedom by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum to focus on his batting, Root has gone from what some would say was the weakest member of the ‘Fab Four’ to the undeniable best.
MORE ON THE ASHES ON C365
Rated: Australia’s greatest Ashes openers – no room for David Warner or Justin Langer
Rated: England’s 7 best Ashes spinners in Australia
5 nighthawks rated: The best nightwatchmen efforts of all time
16 centuries have been added, putting to bed any suggestions he could not convert from 50s. He has moved to number two in the all-time run scorers list, surpassing Ricky Ponting and with a real chance of chasing down Sachin Tendulkar. In the summer series against India, he averaged 67.12.
Now, as England prepare for the long flight south, Root departs Heathrow as the No.1 ranked Test batter in the world and perhaps even more crucially, the No.2 is English as well.
At 34 and in the form of his life, this series represents his best chance to break through that final hurdle but, he insists, Ashes success is far more important than individual glory.
“This tour isn’t about me making 100,” he told Sky Sports. “It’s about us going and winning an Ashes series. As an experienced player, if I go out and make big scores and big 100s, then that gives us a great opportunity to go and do that.
“It’s understanding that role within the team, building those big scores together as a group, like we have done over the course of the summer and the last couple of years. Then, hopefully, that leads to winning games of cricket. If personal accolades come along, then fine.”
In another interview, Root said he “wanted it way too much” but if that clouded his judgement as captain, this time round he is allowed the selfishness of just focusing on himself.
While Australia’s pace attack is as fearsome as ever, Root’s task is at least made easier by those around him. Harry Brook trails only Root in the rankings, Ben Stokes is fifth on the top Ashes run scorers since 2010. In Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, England has a settled opening pair meaning Root will not be at the crease before the first drinks break. Cricket Australia’s decision to host the first Test in Perth rather than the ‘Gabbatoir’ may also play into his favour.
Joe Root has never few doubters left to prove wrong but in the same way that had Federer not won every Slam, McIlroy not claimed the Masters or Messi having never emulated Diego Maradona by winning the World Cup for Argentina, a career without a hundred in Australia will forever be the ‘but’ moment in conversations about his legacy.
At 34, you get the sense it is now or never for Root to achieve this milestone and if he were to achieve it, there can be no more questions about the best Englishman to ever pick up a bat.
READ NEXT: The perfect Test cricketer based on best drive, best defence and 7 other important features
The post Joe Root is an Australian Ashes century away from cricket immortality appeared first on Cricket365.
from Cricket365 https://ift.tt/rgZ04iE
0 comments: