It is the nature of elite sport that it is perhaps predictable that Joe Root’s overhaul of Sir Alastair Cook’s England Test century record will result in many commentators turning their focus to the Yorkshireman’s perceived Achilles heel at Test level: his record against Australia . For the doubters, the Dore-born maestro’s record in Australia itself is particularly relevant. An overall record of 40.46 against Australia over 34 Tests includes 14 games Down Under, where Root is yet to score a century and has an average of 35.68. Root’s record against the other established Test playing countries – India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies – is enviable and a statistical testament to his undisputed class.
The spotlight on Joe Root’s record against Australia is a natural byproduct of an intense Ashes rivalry. However, compared to Kane Williamson, one of his colleagues from the Big Four club, the only flaw in Root’s track record appears to be less glaring than it might otherwise seem.
Root’s current assessment comes as part of years of saber-rattling ahead of another Anglo-Australian clash starting in November 2025. Former Australian left-hander Darren Lehmann and, to no one’s surprise, Ian Chappell, a man rarely short of a cricketing opinion, have weighed in on Root. Lehmann has stated that Root should not be considered an all-time great as he has yet to make a Test ton in Australia, even placing the Yorkshireman a tier below Williamson and Virat Kohli. Chapelli, meanwhile, is full of praise for the former England captain, saying: “Root was born to score runs. It’s a joy to watch him combine solid technique with a desire to train the body at every opportunity“.
Technically speaking, however, Chappell has identified a flaw in the Root armory that may account for his less than flattering record on Australian courses, arguing: “The more worrying statistic in Australia is the frequency with which he has fallen behind. The keepers had a bonanza as they clutched Root’s edges 10 times in 27 innings. While he might reply, “You have to be good enough to catch them,” that suggests he needs to re-evaluate the extra bounce that Australian pitches offer.”
Apart from the lack of centuries, it is worth noting that Root scored nine half-centuries against the Australians. Compared to Kane Williamson, Root’s overall record against the Australians is better – 40.46 compared to an average of 36.95 for the New Zealander. Against India, Williamson’s record is significantly worse, with an average of 37.86 over 20 runs less than Root’s 58.03, while in head-to-head matches against the other country, Root has an average of 54.06, in contrast to Williamson’s 39.62 against England.
When batting against South Africa, the West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the New Zealander 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 opponents doesn’t exactly embarrass Root. Also no direct comparisons with 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 clear advantage is his accumulation of two Test hundreds against the Australians. As for Ian Chappell’s thoughts on Root’s adaptability to Australian surfaces, the New Zealander is, by contrast, acknowledged as having a very specific approach that differs markedly from his peers. Williamson’s initial movement eschews an exaggerated lunge on the forward thrust and is firm but not as pronounced as that of his contemporaries. Equally important is the ability to pass the ball late.
Ricky Ponting observed that Williamson “isn’t making much progress” and that he “plays the ball later than anyone else“. Former England captain Nasser Hussain assessed Williamson’s technical ability, pointing out that economy of movement, hand positioning and footwork were the basis of his success. In advancing the theory of an imaginary “box,” Hussain remarked: “Imagine having a box at about waist height and just below. If you have your hands outside the penalty area, you are playing the ball too early. If you can keep it in your box, you’re playing it too late.”
Hussain argued that hands outside the imaginary ‘box’ would also increase the likelihood of following the ball beyond the off-stump, giving it a chance at the 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 confirm Chappelli’s view that the Englishman needs to reassess bounce on these surfaces.
What will ultimately give Joe Root his coveted Ashes century is the way Ian Chappell praised him. It is a technique informed by modernity but also based on fundamental principles and a method that is, at its core, a product of the Yorkshire Sod, which has produced some of the greatest batting technicians in the history of the game. When Neville Cardus described Sir Leonard Hutton as someone who had a “Blueprint in his head“He could be describing Joe Root almost 70 years later.
Stylistically, Root’s Yorkshire cricket ancestry is evident in everything from the light grip on the bat handle to the wide-legged stance at the batting line, while the balance on the balls of his feet is reminiscent of Sir Geoffrey Boycott himself. Root is alert, sideways, and able to switch to the back and forefoot with easy dexterity. He displays a classicism that goes back to Hutton and Sutcliffe, but also to Boycott, Bill Athey and now Harry Brook, a method so typical of his native land.
When you watch footage of Mike Gatting’s England performance in Australia on their victorious 1986/87 tour, the resemblance between Athey and Root is uncanny. Certainly Root’s talents are of a rare nature in contrast to Athey’s narrower style of operation, but the essential Yorkshire standards of stance, footwork and positioning bear the White Rose County stamp.
Like Williamson Root’s hustle and bustle on the sidelines and his innovative strokeplay, they reflect a player who grew up in a multi-format cricket landscape. As a result, the breathtaking classical hits that were once so typical of Root’s English forebears such as Hammond, May, Cowdrey, Dexter and Gower may not be so obviously at the forefront of his repertoire. Rather, tellingly, Root audiences will marvel at the use of the ramp and its reverse iteration, both strokes that it’s hard to imagine his illustrious predecessors attempting, although pioneer Dexter may well have added such strokes to his range .
Joe Root is England’s best modern player and a titan of the current batting landscape. The discrepancy between his overall record and his numbers against Australia is certainly noticeable, although not as pronounced as Ian Botham’s record against the West Indies and his successes against the rest. If the Yorkshireman takes Ian Chappell’s observations into account next winter , his wait for a test win against his old opponent may be over. In the week that Root and fellow Yorkshireman Harry Brook sit top of the ICC men’s Test batting rankings, his supporters will be confident that this modern batsman still has a lot to do and perhaps still has a lot to prove.
