Australian tabloid dubs ex-England captain Joe Root ‘Average Joe’ ahead of Ashes 2025, highlighting his failure to score a Test century in Australia, increasing pressure on Ben Stokes-led England to end their decade-long Ashes drought Down Under.
Former England captain and star batter Joe Root has been put into focus by an Australian tabloid ahead of the first Test of the five-match Ashes 2025 series against Australia at the Perth Stadium on Sunday, November 21. England, led by Ben Stokes, to tour Australia with the quest to win their first ever Ashes series since 2015.
Over the last 10 years, England have not won an Ashes series, losing two and drawing two, with Australia retaining the title in both drawn series. Moreover, since 2011, the Three Lions have failed to win a single Test match in Australia, adding pressure to the Ben Stokes-led visiting team ahead of the upcoming edition of the Ashes. Key England players, including Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, and Ollie Pope, are in focus ahead of the series opener in Perth.
Root has been particularly under the Australian media scrutiny as the England ace batter is yet to score a Test century in Australia, making him a focal point for the home side’s tabloid and media headlines.
Australian Tabloid Mocks Joe Root as ‘Average’
Joe Root is undoubtedly one of the best batters in the history of Test cricket and excels well across all different conditions, boasting over 13,500 runs in the format, but the veteran batter has yet to score a Test century in Australia, making him a prime target for the Australian media ahead of the Ashes series opener.
The West Australian, one of the leading newspapers, aimed at Root by publishing a front‑page headline that dubbed him ‘Average Joe’ and highlighted his record on Australian soil, particularly his inability to score a Test century Down Under, intensifying the psychological battle ahead of the Perth opener.
“Dud Root Down Under: Hero in the homeland but pretender in Australia. The stats that haunt England’s greatest batter ahead of Ashes showdown,” reads the West Australian’s front page.
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Joe Root does not have an ideal Test record in Australia, amassing 892 runs, including nine fifties, at an average of 35.68 in 14 matches and 27 innings. His highest individual Test score in Australia is 89, scored against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane during the 2021/22 Ashes series Down Under, but he has repeatedly fallen short of a century, making him a focal point of scrutiny ahead of Ashes 2025.
Can Joe Root Turn His Game in Australia This Time?
Joe Root will return to red-ball cricket in the upcoming Ashes 2025 against Australia, as well as in the ODI series against South Africa and New Zealand. The England ace batter’s last Test series was against India on home soil in August, where he was the standout batter for the hosts, scoring 537 runs, including three centuries and a fifty, at an average of 67.12 in nine innings.
However, the 34-year-old is now under pressure as he heads to Australia bearing the weight of England’s long Ashes drought Down Under. Joe Root is set to play his fourth Ashes series on Australian soil, aiming to finally notch a century and help England overturn their long drought Down Under. In the last three Ashes series in Australia, the former England batter managed several fifties but failed to convert those into triple figures, leaving a century elusive and adding to the Australian media scrutiny ahead of the Ashes 2025.
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Joe Root’s best Ashes series in Australia was in 2017/18, wherein he aggregated 378 runs, including 5 centuries, at an average of 47.25 in nine matches. Heading into the fourth Ashes Down Under, the veteran England batter will be keen to rewrite his record in Australia, while helping England end a decade-long Urn drought.
Meanwhile, Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the Perth opener, and Steve Smith will lead Australia in the first Ashes Test. In Cummins’ absence, Mitchell Starc is expected to lead the pace attack alongside Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland.