‘We are fully aware Australia are a very good team’ - Joe Root expects close Ashes battle

Ahead of the highly-awaited Ashes 2023, England’s Joe Root reflected on the previous clashes and said that he expectes another closely-contested affair. Notably, arch-rivals England and Australia are set to lock horns in the five-match series from June 16.

Root reflected on the Ashes 2019 when the two teams saw see-sawing results, as the series ended on level terms 2-2. Root recalled how England competed back then while being down due to injuries to mutiple players in the camp.

"I look back at the last one we had in the UK (in 2019) and it just didn't feel like it really ran for us. Although we drew the series, Jofra [Archer] wasn't available for the first game. Woody [Mark Wood] was out for the series. Jimmy [Anderson] bowled four overs,” Root told ESPNcricinfo.

“We were potentially half an hour away from winning at Lord's [and] 20 minutes away from saving the game at Old Trafford. But that's the exciting part of an Ashes series: how close they seem to go, especially in the UK, and how it can draw some of the best Test cricket out of the two teams. It should make for great cricket, and that's what you want to play in,” he added.

We are fully aware Australia are a very good team: Joe Root

Notably, the Three Lions last lifted the Ashes in 2015, winning the five-match series, 3-2 at home. Root further acknowledged that the rivals make up for a ‘very good team’, which is the reason why the Aussies made it to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 Final.

"We are fully aware Australia are a very good team - you don't get to a World Test Championship final without being good in all conditions. You want to play in those brilliant Test matches, and to be the one there at the end, not out, having won the game for your team-mates,” added Root.