Joe Root smashed a brilliant 160 in the fifth Ashes Test, his 41st Test century to equal Ricky Ponting. Amid talk of a possible farewell tour, the 35-year-old hinted at returning, while earning praise as one of cricket’s greats.
Joe Root said he would love to return for another Ashes tour of Australia after his superb 160 in the fifth Test on Monday, with the English veteran showing few signs of slowing down.
The 35-year-old struck his second century of the series in Sydney, registering his 41st Test hundred to move level with Australian great Ricky Ponting in third place on the all-time list. Root, the second-highest Test run-scorer behind India legend Sachin Tendulkar, hit 15 fours during his 242-ball innings as England posted 384 in their first innings.
Will Root Return to Australia for Another Series?
Root will be 39 when England next tour Australia, leading many pundits to believe the Sydney Test could mark his farewell to the country. His salute to all corners of the ground as he walked off further reinforced that impression.
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However, Root suggested that may not be the case.
“I think you might be looking into it a little bit too much,” Root said when asked if it was a final goodbye to Australia. “I just felt like we've had some amazing support throughout this series, and we've not been able to achieve what we set out to as a group.
“But at no point has that support ever wavered. And it’s never wavered whenever I've come out here on tour — it's been exceptional. It was a way of saying thank you, really.”
Asked directly whether he would return in four years’ time, Root replied: “Who knows? We'll see. I'd love to, but we'll see how things unfold in time.”
Root Inching Closer to Tendulkar's Test record
Root’s 160 was his second century of the series after his majestic unbeaten 138 in the day-night Test at Brisbane, which ended a three-Test series century drought in Australia.
Only Tendulkar, with 51 Test centuries, and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis, who has 45, have scored more centuries than Root. Tendulkar’s record 15,921 Test runs also appear within reach, with Root currently on 13,937.
Former Australia coach Darren Lehmann hailed Root as “the best player outside of Bradman” following his performance.
“I've said it before — once he ticked off the hundred in Australia, he'll be the greatest player outside of Bradman, statistically,” Lehmann said on ABC radio. “He'll break all the records. He'll beat Tendulkar, he'll make more hundreds than anyone else. And it'll take a lot of catching because he's quite fit.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
