Joe Root has responded to David Warner's pre-Ashes jobe about his previous struggles in Australia, saying that the sledging leading up to marquee series is "all part of the fun".
Root scored his 39th Test hundred in the final match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy earlier this month, becoming the fourth most prolific century-scorer in the format in history. However, having played 14 Tests in Australia he has yet to score a hundred in an Ashes series down-under – the only country he has played more than three Tests in where he hasn't passed three figures.
Speaking to BBC Sport ahead of the start of his stint in The Hundred with London Spirit, former Australia opener Warner said that Root would have to "take the surfboard off his front leg" in order to succeed in Australia. Responding to Warner's assertion that he will be an easy candidate for lbw in the Ashes, Root said: "I can't have any control or say on how people see the game or talk in an interview, it is irrelevant.
"What more can I do about it? Just keep my surfboard out the way and make sure it is not a talking point in 100 days' time."
Speaking ahead of playing for Trent Rockets against Warner's London Spirit, Root said when asked if he would respond to Warner's comments on the field during the game: "I don't think so. I guess it is all part of the fun right? We will see what happens but it is not really in my nature to get too verbal."
'I couldn't be more ready for the Ashes'
Speaking on preparations for the highly anticipated series more generally, Root said: "Having played in Australia a couple of times before, now going with 150-odd Test caps under my belt, I feel I couldn't be more ready for it. The thing that stands out for me is I probably wanted it [a century] way too much the last couple of times. It took me away from what was important."
Root has scored 892 runs across 27 innings in Australia at an average of 35.68, and has passed 50 nine times. The closest he has come to reaching a century was on his first Ashes tour of the country in 2013, when he scored 87 runs in the final innings of the second Test in Adelaide. Since the last Ashes series in Australia in 2022, Root has reached new heights of run-scoring, averaging 57.14 in that time period, with 16 centuries in 44 Tests.
In relation to previous series in Australia, Root said: "There were a lot of distractions... I was captain, Covid [2021/2022, 4-0 defeat], there was the Stokes incident the time before that, the Jonny Bairstow headbutt incident as well.
"This time I want to just go and enjoy the tour for what it is. It is a beautiful country, it is a great place to go and play cricket. I know if I put my best performances in then everything else will look after itself."
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