Summary:
- Joe Root dismissed Darren Lehmann’s suggestion that he’s “a rung below” cricket’s all-time greats.
- Root, nearing his 150th Test appearance, remained unbothered by the criticism.
- He emphasized that Lehmann is “entitled to say what he wants.”
Joe Root has responded calmly to recent remarks from former Australia coach Darren Lehmann, who suggested that England’s leading Test run-scorer was “a rung below” cricket’s all-time greats.
Despite approaching his 150th Test appearance, Root remained unfazed by Lehmann’s critique, insisting the latter was “entitled to say what he wants“.
Lehmann: “He’s a Great Player, But Is He an All-Time Great?”
Lehmann’s comments followed Australia’s loss to India in the first Test in Perth, during which Virat Kohli scored his 30th Test century, including seven in Australia.
Although Root has achieved 35 Test centuries throughout his career, he has yet to score a hundred on Australian soil.
Lehmann thinks this gap will stop him from joining the ranks of cricket’s legends. Lehmann said in an interview with ABC.
He’s a great player, but is he an all-time great? I don’t have him in that realm
Root, who has toured Australia three times as part of Ashes campaigns, will have another chance to make his mark down under when England seeks to reclaim the Ashes next winter.
Speaking from Christchurch ahead of England’s series against New Zealand, Root told BBC Sport:
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.
Root: “I’ll Do My Job and He Can Do His Job.”
The two have some history, as Lehmann was Australia’s coach during several Ashes series in which Root played, and he also spent time at Yorkshire when Root was rising through the county ranks.
Root, now 33, acknowledged they haven’t been in touch recently, adding,
I’ll do my job and he can do his job. He’s completely entitled to say what he wants. That’s his right.
Lehmann later clarified his comments on X, saying he does view Root as a “great” and anticipates him securing that elusive Australian century in the upcoming Ashes.
He is going to be great, I know that… but needs and he will probably do this next Ashes. Get a hundred in Australia and then no dispute
Just to be clear as there are a lot of people who think , that I think Joe root is not a great . 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 Aus and then no dispute .Cheers 👍
— Darren Lehmann (@darren_lehmann) November 25, 2024
Root’s career reached a milestone recently when he surpassed Sir Alastair Cook to become England’s all-time leading Test run-scorer, with a current total of 12,754 runs.
This achievement places him fifth on the all-time global list, alongside legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting.
Root is also a member of the “Fab Four”, which is an elite group of Test batters that includes Kohli, Kane Williamson, and Steve Smith.
Since 2022, Root has been in the best form of his career, amassing 3,223 runs and 12 centuries, the highest among all Test players in that period.
As he prepares to earn his 150th cap in Christchurch, Root remains focused on the future, confident he still has plenty to contribute as he is getting ready to lead England in the upcoming series at Hagley Oval on Thursday (22:00 GMT, Wednesday) which UK Players can find Top Offshore Bookmakers to get the latest odds.