Broad fires back at his 'bunny' David Warner's remarks on Joe Root ahead of the Ashes
Joe Root is yet to score a century on Australian soil, with his highest score being 89.
Former Australian opener David Warner has kicked off the banter for the highly-anticipated Ashes 2025-26 early, taking aim at England ace batter Joe Root’s batting technique. Warner cheekily suggested that Root will need to take the surfboard off his front leg, if England are to reclaim the Ashes urn on Australian soil for the first time since 2010–11.
Root, one of England’s most prolific Test batters, has struggled to convert starts into centuries in Australia. Across 14 Tests in the country, he has a top score of 89 and an average of 35.68, without a single century to his name. Warner further claimed that Root could be vulnerable to leg-before dismissals, especially against Josh Hazlewood, during the upcoming series set to begin in Perth on November 21.
Root recently achieved a significant career milestone, surpassing former Australian captain Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest run-scorer in the history of Test cricket, trailing only India’s Sachin Tendulkar.
"The big anchor there is Root, who is yet to score a hundred in Australia. Hazlewood tends to have his number quite a lot. He will have to take the surfboard off his front leg," said Warner to BBC Sport.
Root overtakes Ponting to move to 2nd all-time chart
Meanwhile, England veteran pacer Stuart Broad took to social media to point out that Hazlewood has dismissed Root leg-before only three times in his career. Overall, Root has fallen to Hazlewood 10 times in 18 Tests. Interestingly, Australia captain Pat Cummins has dismissed Root even more frequently, removing him on 11 occasions in Test cricket.
“I’ve never heard England’s best ever batters front pad called a Surfboard. Just for clarity. Hazelwood has got Rooty LBW in Test Cricket 3 times. Three,” wrote Broad on X.
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162Australia’s final Test series before the Ashes ended in a 3-0 clean sweep against the West Indies, highlighted by a dramatic collapse in the final match where the hosts were bowled out for just 27 runs, the second-lowest total in Test history. However, despite the dominant scoreline, Australia showed signs of vulnerability at various stages during the series, something that will surely give England reason for optimism heading into the Ashes.
"It all comes down to the bowlers. If the English bowlers can put a dent in the Australia top order then they will come into the contest," Warner added.
Warner is set to play for London Spirit in The Hundred 2025, which is beginning in a couple of days time. The team will face defending men’s champions Oval Invincibles in the opening match at Lord’s in London on Tuesday, August 5.
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