Joe Root is feeling bullish ahead of England’s clash with Australia, claiming he would “have this team every day” over their rivals despite wildly differing fortunes at the World Cup.
The Ashes adversaries meet on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) at Ahmedabad’s 130,000-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium, which will also host the tournament final on November 19.
Only one of the two teams has any prospect of making it that far, with England propping up the table in 10th place after one win in six while Australia appear set fair for the knockouts after four victories.
But Root refuses to believe a side who came in as defending champions have slipped as far as the standings suggest.
“Man for man, I’d have this team every day over the Australians,” he said, with an air of confidence that has largely eluded England since they touched down in India.
“We might not have played as well as we can do but we know when we play our best stuff the best teams struggle to compete with us.
“I look at this team and it’s more than capable of achieving way more than it has done throughout this tournament. With the quality of players we have, we should be sat right at the top of this table. We all know that and we’re all very frustrated that isn’t the case.
“We’ve just got to look at Saturday as our World Cup final and play in the manner that’s expected of us and we expect of ourselves.
“We have massively underachieved to date and have three opportunities to show the world what we are capable of doing and what I know we are capable of doing.”
The statistical head-to-head makes for grim reading, with Australia boasting five centuries to England’s one, 61 sixes to England’s 27 and 47 wickets taken to England’s 36.
Sri Lanka celebrate the run out of Joe Root. (Photo by Matt Roberts-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Australian legspinner Adam Zampa has taken 16 scalps, exactly twice as many as opposite number Adil Rashid.
But Root is relying on the competitive juices that come with every meeting between these two teams to drag his side out of their torpor.
England were 2-0 behind after the first two Tests of this year’s Ashes series but rallied to dominate the next three games and would surely have improved on a 2-2 draw had rain not intervened at Old Trafford.
Relations between the teams were strained at times during the Test summer, not least over Jonny Bairstow’s controversial run out in the Lord’s Ashes contest, and the battle lines remain drawn.
A press conference clip of Australia captain Pat Cummins smirking and suppressing giggles as he contemplated England’s World Cup struggles has been duly noted but has not raised Root’s hackles.
“Let’s face it, if it was the other way around would we be doing the same? Probably,” he said.
“If it motivates us a little bit more, great. It hurts, but it always hurts to be in this position, sat at the bottom of the table. There is no better motivator for any group of English players than to play against the Aussies.
“From my point of view, I throw everything into giving my absolute 100 per cent for England and can look people in the eye and shake them by the hand and move onto the next game. I’ve got no animosity with any of their team.”
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Sure, but that’s a different question.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
I guess the other ironic thing is, team currently in third is playing great cricket in comparison to the team in 10th, yet so many, including myself, as seriously concerned about tonight's game. This should be an easy win, but I get the feeling the Aussies will find a way to either lose or make hard work of a victory.
Anth
Roar Rookie
The ironic part, while I totally agree with you; is that while both sides are well down on form, one sits at third on the table and the other at tenth.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
What about poor old Missta Root? And Missta Broad
Jeff
Roar Rookie
How dare Root call the England players, "men". I find that an afront to Mr Men, and I dare say, some patent infringements may be worthy of pursuing. And don't even go there re Mr Tickle.
jammel
Roar Rookie
We are clearly the better side. When everyone's available. Here's my combined AUS/ENG XI (if we were to align with England to play India in India!)! Head(V) Warner Root Smith MMarsh(C) Buttler+ Maxwell Starc ARashid Hazlewood Zampa (12th men = Stokes + Cummins)
Jeff
Roar Rookie
But it’s an interesting question comparing the two teams in terms of longer term player quality rather than the last couple of weeks. The last couple of weeks, and the couple of weeks to follow, is all that matters every 4 years...
Jeff
Roar Rookie
I demand a boundary countback!
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Bazball. Reality denial.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I don't care too much about the players we've lost. I do care about the team being circumspectful. And it's what's being said in the sheds that interests me. As this is effectively the oldest international cricketing rivalry focus and determination are paramount. However well either team is travelling going in with humility is essential.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Now you've made me think of Elvis. I'm gonna have to play some Dylan or Mellencamp to get the thought out of my head.
WhoDis
Roar Rookie
I think he’s referring to Spirit of Cricket. In which case sure, Joe, you guys have us covered.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
I think it's almost impossible to make comparisons at present, Dave. Both teams are well down on their very best form in ODI cricket. That said, the Poms do play a lot more white ball cricket and they had some promising ODI matches prior to this tournament with pretty much a 2nd XI. Both nations need to look long & hard at how they manage cricket workloads and how they plan for major series/tournaments. Both have been guilty of getting things wrong in the months leading up to this event, for a start.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Great to have some banter plus the Poms need to fire up otherwise they are rooted. :boxing:
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Is this a Betoota Advocate article?
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Well we can laugh at Joe, but we might want to wait until Sunday morning. And it makes sense to say that sort of thing to gee up his own team. But it’s an interesting question comparing the two teams in terms of longer term player quality rather than the last couple of weeks. I think I’d give them the edge in batting with a middle order including Stokes, Brook, Root, Buttler and Livingstone, even if they’ve been nowhere in the CWC. A slight edge to us in opening batsmen perhaps, and a definite edge longer term in the bowling though I’m not sure at the moment.
Fin
Roar Rookie
Might as well go down swinging Joe.
Frankly
Roar Rookie
It's no contest.
Dingo
Roar Rookie
Actions speak louder that words Joe. Perform on Saturday or you look like a clown
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
I seem to recall Joe Root's music box playing a similar tune after the 4 nil Ashes hiding when he was captain in 2017. I'm happy for him to believe his team is man for man better than Australia because that's something people can discuss over a few beers on a Friday night. The one area the Poms are clearly superior is taking the moral high ground. Pretty sure they're undefeated in moral ascendancy this year, with Jonny, Baz and Ben leading the way.