"Root's phenomenal run-making will again be tested": Ian Chappell

NEW DELHI: Former Australian cricketer Ian Chappell feels that star England batter Joe Root's "phenomenal run-making" will be tested when he faces India and Australia in key Test series next year, battling two of the "best attacks in Tests".

Root is the leading run-scorer in the current ICC World Test Championship 2023-25. In 18 Tests, he has scored 1,712 runs at an average of 59.03, with six centuries and six fifties in 32 innings, with the best score of 262. In this calendar year, Root has scored 1,300 runs in 13 Tests at an average of 61.90, with five centuries and four fifties in 23 innings and best score of 262.

Root's consistency and incredible conversion rate has witnessed him topple Alastair Cook (12,472 runs and 33 centuries) as England's leading centurion and run-maker in Tests with 35 tons and 12,716 runs in 148 Tests. He also became the first English cricketer to cross the milestone of 20,000 runs in international cricket during the ongoing Pakistan series, currently standing at 20,131 runs in 351 matches.

In his column for ESPNCricinfo, Chappell said, "Root's phenomenal run-making will again be tested when first he faces India at home and then Australia away. In those two series, Root will be facing the best attacks in Test cricket, and his technique against both pace and spin will again be fully scrutinised."

"Those are difficult challenges that Root and England will face in the future. Currently, they are desperately involved in a bid to win after Pakistan levelled their three-game series with a spin-revolution victory against a clueless England," the 81-year-old added.

Chappell said that Root was born to make runs and posted a fine knock of 73 in the first-ever Test inning he played in India. He went on to term Root's batting as a "joy to watch" as he balances "solid technique" with a "desire to score at every opportunity".

"Some of his partnerships with fellow Yorkshireman Jonny Bairstow were exhilarating, as both players ran brilliantly between wickets and continually looked to keep the scoreboard ticking over," he added.

Chappell also said that as England adapted a more attacking approach to cricket under skipper Ben Stokes which led to the batting becoming "frenetic", Root also succumbed to the idea of adopting modern shots occasionally and some poor judgements made him re-evaluate his priorities.

"Root sensibly went back to his old ways and has become an even more difficult batter to dismiss. I am not sure why he temporarily changed his approach because scoring rate has never been an issue for Root.

The glue to England's rapid scoring has been Root, who is prepared to compile big innings while some of his team-mates take the wrecking ball to the opposition attack," he added.

Chappell pointed out that Root has not scored a century in Australia and its four main bowlers, pace trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc and spinner Nathan Lyon have dismissed him a number of times.

"One of the few anomalies in Root's record is his failure to score a Test century in Australia despite having played 27 innings there. His last chance to rectify that statistic will likely come in 2025-26, when - barring injury or retirement - he will play another Ashes series," said Chappell.

"It is not as though Root has performed poorly in Australia, as his average of around 35 is respectable. However, the lack of a century despite making nine scores in excess of 50 is most unlike Root."

"In Australia, the four main bowlers have dismissed Root a number of times and this could be pointed to as a weakness. Nevertheless, there is an easy answer: if you're going to be dismissed, it's preferable to get out to a good bowler."

"The more worrying Root statistic in Australia is the number of times he has been caught behind. Keepers have had a bonanza as ten times they have clasped Root's edges in just 27 innings. While he could counter with "you have got to be good enough to nick 'em", it does suggest he needs to re-assess the extra bounce Australian pitches provide," Chappell concluded.

Root has fine statistics against India, scoring 2,846 runs in 30 Tests at an average of 58.08, with 10 centuries and 11 fifties in 55 innings. His best score is 218. This gets better when the numbers are filtered out and only matches in England are looked into. In 15 Tests against India at home, Root has scored 1,574 runs at an average of 74.95, with seven centuries and the best score of 180*.

In Australia, Root has not found a lot of success, scoring 892 runs in 14 Tests and 27 innings at an average of 35.68, with nine fifties, and with best score of 89.

The high-profile series against India at home will mark the start of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 for both the sides. The first Test will take place at Leeds from June 20, with the second at Birmingham from July 2, the third at Lord's from July 10, the fourth in Manchester from July 23 and the fifth and final Test at Kennington Oval from July 31.

Cricket Australia on Wednesday unveiled the schedule for the 2025-26 Ashes series at home, with Perth all set to host the opening clash of the intense Australia-England rivalry from November 21 onwards.

The Gabba at Brisbane will be hosting the second Test, a day-night, pink-ball affair, from December 4 onwards, while the iconic Adelaide Oval will become witness to yet another part of this new chapter of cricket's greatest rivalry during the third Test. The third Test will be the 'pre-Christmas' Test, building up the anticipation and excitement for the next two Tests, the Boxing Day Test, the fourth match of the series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from December 26 onwards and the New Year Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) from January 4 onwards, which will be the final match of the series.