But that's the exciting part of Ashes series: Joe Root on close contest against Australia
May 17, 2023
Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 17 : Former England skipper Joe Root expressed his excitement ahead of the Ashes series against Australia and said that the series in England have delivered some of the best cricket, given how packed the matches are.
England and Australia fought hard against each other during the 2019 leg of the series as the series ended in a 2-2 draw.
Root has represented the England team 319 times across formats and has captained his country 64 times. He has scored 18,048 runs in an international career spanning just over a decade.
Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, Root noted how the 2019 Ashes series keeps shifting back and forth and anticipates a tight match this year as well.
"I look back at the last one we had in the UK and it just didn't feel like it really ran for us. Although we drew the series, Jofra [Archer] wasn't available for the first game. Woody [Mark Wood] was out for the series. Jimmy [Anderson] bowled four overs. We were potentially half an hour away from winning at Lord's [and] 20 minutes away from saving the game at Old Trafford," Joe Root told ESPNCricinfo
"But that's the exciting part of an Ashes series: how close they seem to go, especially in the UK, and how it can draw some of the best Test cricket out of the two teams," he added.
Joe Root acknowledged that Australia is no pushover, as seen by their participation in the World Test Championship final the following month. He is prepared for the task that the guests will present during the Ashes, though.
"We are fully aware Australia are a very good team - you don't get to a World Test Championship final without being good in all conditions. It should make for great cricket, and that's what you want to play in. You want to play in those brilliant Test matches, and to be the one there at the end, not out, having won the game for your team-mates," he added.
