Former Australian opener David Warner has ramped up the mind games ahead of the big Ashes 2025 as he took a subtle dig at the English star batter Joe Root. The Ashes series between Australia and England is set to kick off later this year in November.
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Warner believes that Root will yet again struggle in Australia and will find it difficult to face Australian pacer Josh Hazelwood in the Ashes later this year.
Has Joe Root struggled in Australia in Tests?
With the all-important Ashes approaching, the mind games have already begun, as David Warner ignited the fire, taking a dig at one of the greatest batters of the modern era - Joe Root. Root's long and illustrious career does not enjoy a good record on Australian soil.
The batter recently passed Ricky Ponting in the all-time list of most Test runs with 13.543 runs, only behind the great Sachin Tendulkar. However, the English great still does not have a Test century to his name playing in Australia.
"The big anchor there is Rooty (Joe Root), who is yet to score a hundred in Australia. Josh Hazlewood tends to have his number quite a lot. He'll have to take the surfboard off his front leg," Warner told BBC Sport. The surfboard jibe was aimed at Root's front pad technique, which Hazelwood has exploited in the past.
Joe Root's batting records in Australia:
| Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | 50s | 100s | HS |
| 14 | 27 | 892 | 35.68 | 9 | 0 | 89 |
Root's woes against Josh Hazelwood
Root has been dismissed as many as 10 times by the Australian pacer Josh Hazelwood in the longest format. Only India's Jasprit Bumrah and Australian skipper Pat Cummins have more, dismissing Root 11 times each.
However, only three of Hazelwood's ten dismissals came as LBW, a stat quickly brought forward by English pacer Stuart Broad, who took to X to defend his former teammate.
I’ve never heard England’s best ever batters front pad called a Surfboard 😂😂
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) August 2, 2025
Just for clarity. Hazelwood has got Rooty LBW in Test Cricket 3 times. Three. https://t.co/HZc7hojQHi
"I've never heard England's best-ever batter's front pad called a surfboard. Just for clarity. Hazlewood has got Rooty LBW in Test cricket three times. Three," posted Broad.
Earlier, Australian skipper Michael Clarke pointed that Australia's primary task in the Ashes would be to stop Joe Root from getting a century in Australia.
With Ashes fast approaching, verbal volleys have already begun from both sides. Australia will look to continue their home dominance against England, while the English side will be in search of an Ashes victory in Australia after 14 years.