Follow UsIt’s been just over a month since England played a gruelling five-Test series against India, but, for the Three Lions, their biggest series of the year will start in November, when they will travel to Australia for The Ashes.
And while ‘Babzall’ certainly will be under the scanner, there will be special focus on Joe Root, who has surprisingly struggled to conquer Australia in his 158-match Test career. Root still averages a decent 35.68 in Australia, but it’s the only country where he’s played 5+ Tests and has failed to post a Test century.
According to former Australian opener Matthew Hayden, however, that is almost certain to change this time around. In fact, Hayden is so confident that he went ahead and made one of the wildest claims ever, live on air.
“I'll walk nude around the MCG if he doesn't get a hundred this summer,” said Hayden during All Over Bar the Cricket podcast, reported News 18.
“He’s just the most complete package in the England side, I can't believe you haven't got Joe Root in your team. He averages 40, but, high score of 180, and I'll talk to you at the end of this summer,” Hayden added.
With 13,543 runs, Root is the second-highest run-getter in Test history. The lack of ton Down Under, however, is seen as a blemish in his CV. The closest Root came to scoring a ton was when he scored 89 in the second innings of the first Test in Brisbane in the 2021 Ashes. He’s crossed the 50-run mark nine times in Australia, but has been unable to convert that into a century even once.