Australian opener David Warner took a cheeky dig at Joe Root, suggesting the England star will need to “take the surfboard off his front leg” if he hopes to handle Josh Hazlewood in the upcoming Ashes series set to be played in Australia later this year.
Currently the No.1 ranked Test batter in the world, Root has struggled to score big runs on Australian soil. In 14 Tests down under, England’s most-prolific run-scorer has scored 892 runs at an average of 35.68, with nine fifties but no centuries — his highest being 89. Warner pointed out that Hazlewood has dismissed Root 10 times in Tests, including three LBW dismissals.
“The big anchor there is Rooty (Joe Root), who is yet to score a hundred in Australia. Josh Hazlewood tends to have his number quite a lot. He’ll have to take the surfboard off his front leg,” Warner said in an interview with the BBC.
Hazlewood isn’t the only Australian who’s enjoyed success against Root. Skipper Pat Cummins has dismissed the England batter 11 times in Tests — the joint-most alongside India’s Jasprit Bumrah.
While Root’s performance in Australia remains a concern for England, Australia’s top-order batting is also under scrutiny. Since Warner’s retirement, the team has struggled to find a stable partner for Usman Khawaja at the top.
Warner believes England’s bowlers could exploit this vulnerability of the Australian team.
“It all comes down to the bowlers. If the English bowlers can put a dent in the Australian top order, then they’ll be in the contest,” Warner added.
Currently in England for The Hundred, Warner is set to debut for London Spirit against the Oval Invincibles on Tuesday, August 4.
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