Root hits back over poor Ashes record down under

Joe Root believes England are ready to end their decade-long Ashes drought and “bring the urn home”, insisting his own quest for a century in Australia is a side issue.

- RORY DOLLARD

England have not won their most prized series since 2015 and last triumphed down under in 2010-11, a year before Root played the first of his 158 Tests.

Root himself is yet to win a single match in Australia in 14 attempts and, despite boasting 39 career hundreds, is still waiting to bring up his first in the country.

Australia’s past players and media outriders have already put that issue on the agenda, Matthew Hayden most gratuitously in pledging to walk out naked at the MCG if he fails to notch a ton. But for Root, that is a distraction from the tourist’s wider goal, and he is confident they have never had a better chance.

“At the end of the day, this tour is not about me,” said Root. “They are going to say what they want to say anyway, so why bother worrying about it? It doesn’t make a huge amount of difference.