“He’s Completely…”: Joe Root Responds To ‘Not All-Time Great’ Comment By Ex-Australia Coach

England batter Joe Root has hit again at feedback made by former Australia cricketer and coach Darren Lehmann. The latter had earlier come out and acknowledged that he would not take into account Root to be an “all-time great”, as he had not scored a century in Australia, in opposition to England’s greatest rivals. Root – who’s England’s highest run-scorer in Test historical past – has now swiftly responded to Lehmann’s remarks. Root is ready to play for England in three Tests in opposition to New Zealand away from dwelling.

“My job is to score runs, right? To turn up every game and try to do all I can out in the middle. His job is to give his opinion and talk on the radio,” stated Root to BBC Sport.

“I’ll do my job and he can do his job. He’s completely entitled to say what he wants. That’s his right. I have not spoken to him in a while,” Root additional added.

Root presently boasts 12,754 Test runs in 149 Test matches, going forward of earlier record-holder Alastair Cook in 2024.

Root can also be the very best run-scorer in Tests held within the calendar 12 months of 2024, slamming 1,338 runs in 14 video games. He may have one other three Tests in opposition to New Zealand earlier than the 12 months ends so as to add to his tally.

It is essential to notice that Lehmann considerably backtracked on his feedback on social media afterward, stating that Joe Root will in all probability find yourself slamming a century within the subsequent Ashes collection in Australia.

“He is going to be a great, I know that, and a wonderful ambassador for our game, but needs and – he will probably do – this next Ashes. Get a hundred in Australia and then no dispute,” tweeted Lehmann.

England subsequent tour Australia for the Ashes in a single 12 months’s time, in November and December 2025. It can be a four-match Ashes collection, which can be a part of the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.