Joe Root Warned He Could Be Forced Into Test Retirement By Australia Like Virat Kohli

Joe Root is regarded as England’s greatest Test batter, having amassed 13543 runs in 158 Tests at an average of 51.29. The 34-year-old is just 2378 runs shy of Sachin Tendulkar, who currently leads the all-time run-scoring list in red-ball cricket. However, former England spinner Monty Panesar believes another poor series in Australia could prompt Root to retire from Test cricket, similar to Virat Kohli after India’s 2024-25 tour Down Under.

Root has been in excellent form recently, accumulating 537 runs at an average of 67.13 in the five-match Test series against India. He scored three centuries during the series, taking his overall tally to 39 hundreds, trailing only Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45), and Ricky Ponting (41).

Despite his prolific career, Root has never scored a Test century in Australia. Across 14 Tests Down Under, he has made 892 runs at an average of 35.68, with nine fifties, a modest record for someone of his stature. He will get a chance to improve that record when England tour Australia later this year for the Ashes, starting November 21.

Australia remains the only country where Root averages less than 40 after playing at least three Tests. Kohli, one of his modern-era contemporaries, also struggled in his last series in Australia, managing just 190 runs at 23.75, which ultimately led to his Test retirement.

Speaking to India Today, Panesar said: "It really depends how next year goes for him, how the Ashes go, we saw very much with Virat Kohli, right? He went to Australia and he just didn't know what to do with that ball outside 4th, 5th stump. I think that kind of led to his decision or a collective decision for him to retire. And yeah, if Joe Root doesn't have a good Ashes series and it goes really bad for him.

"Suddenly all it takes one series and you look, it's a different ball game altogether. England could lose their coach, their captain, if it's a very bad series, a few jobs could be done. Suddenly people begin questioning, is he gone past his best? So it's very important when you go to Australia, doesn't matter how good you are, you've got to perform in Australia.

"It's going to be very difficult for him because he's going to be facing a strong Australian attack, and this is probably one of the strongest bowling attacks we've seen. But the form he's shown, and the runs he's scoring, he would probably want to score 100.

"I'm sure there will be one of those Test matches, where the wicket isn't so bouncy, there's not so much pace in it possibly at Adelaide or, even in Melbourne, depending on the conditions. Well he's got a chance, but anything a bit bouncy or quick, I think, it'd be, it'd be a little bit difficult for him."

It's been almost 15 years since England last won a Test Down Under, and this could be Root's last chance to conquer Australia and boost his Test legacy.