The Ashes 2025-26: Joe Root’s Test century drought in Australia a ‘blight’ on career, says Ricky Ponting
England batsman Joe Root’s failure to score a Test hundred in Australia was a “blight on his copybook”, according to former Australian captain Ricky Ponting.
One of Australia’s greatest skippers and batters also believes it was crucial England win the first Test in Perth as they will be long odds to win the day-night second Test at the Gabba.
“I know he’s on record as saying he doesn’t care but he would want to finish his career with a Test match hundred in Australia, there’s no doubt about it,” said Ponting, who will be a part of Channel 7s Ashes commentary team.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“It’s a blight on his copybook really not having made a hundred in Australia.
“He’s made nine 50s I think in Australia without a hundred.
“I think he’s better equipped this year than he has been in any other year on the back of what he’s done in the last couple of seasons.”
Root passed Ponting’s total of 13,378 runs to become the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket history in July.
His 13,543 runs from 158 Tests places him behind only Indian great Sachin Tendulkar with 15,921 runs from 200 Tests.
Root averages 51.30 in Test cricket but has not reached a century in 27 innings on Australian soil, his highest score 89 from nine 50s at an average of 35.68.
Root made just one and 31 in England’s only warm-up match against the English Lions on a flat pitch at Lilac Hill in Perth last week.
Another key member of the Seven commentary team, former England opener David Lloyd, said it would be in the “back of his mind”.
“He’s like a golfer going for a major. If you haven’t got one, it’s going to gnaw away at you a little bit,” Lloyd said.
“There’s only one person who could put it right, and that’s Joe Root.
“I know Joe Root pretty well, and he doesn’t get too up and he doesn’t get too down. He prepares well, he’s got a good lifestyle, he’s got a good family life, and so this will be his next tick off. He’ll want to tick off one or two or three hundreds in Australia because other people have done it like (Marcus) Trescothick and Michael Vaughan, and Kevin Pietersen. He’ll want to tick that off and put it to bed.
“I would have every confidence in him because he’s a world-class player.”
Despite the absence of fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood for the first Test, Ponting said Australia had a “great chance” to win the first three matches.
The Ashes open at Optus Stadium on Friday, followed by a pink ball day-night Test at the Gabba and then Adelaide, with Melbourne’s Boxing Day Test and the Sydney to round out the series.
“I know the pink ball Test is not in Adelaide, but we don’t lose too many games in Adelaide, Brisbane we know it’s been a fortress and there is Optus,” Ponting said.
“There are a lot of things in Australia’s favour going in, but that being said they have to go out there and do it regardless of what team they put on the park.
“They have got to find a way to to win or at least make it as hard for England to win as they possibly can.
“Knowing what Starcy (Mitch Starc) does with the pink ball, none of those England players will be looking forward to facing him at the Gabba with a brand-new pink kookaburra that’s for sure.”
The Ashes preview show with Ricky Ponting, Aaron Finch and James Brayshaw at 9.30pm tonight on Seven straight after The Front Bar.
Originally published on The Nightly
