"What a load of nonsense" - Michael Vaughan hits back at Darren Lehmann over his doubts about Joe Root as all-time great ahead of Ashes 2025
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan has hit back at Darren Lehmann over his claims that Joe Root is not an all-time great, given he is yet to score a Test hundred in Australia. Vaughan defended Root, claiming that the Yorkshire batter can surpass Sachin Tendulkar's tally of runs.
Having toured Australia thrice, Root is yet to score a Test ton Down Under. The former England Test captain has played 14 Tests and scored 892 runs at 35.68 alongside nine fifties and a best of 89 on Aussie soil. With England set to tour Australia next year, Root will be keen to break the drought.
Speaking on SEN Mornings, Vaughan referred to Lehmann's comments on Root as a 'load of nonsense' and said:
"What a load of nonsense. We're talking about a player that could quite easily - if he stays fit and that back stays strong – surpass Sachin Tendulkar in a few years (for overall Test runs). Just because he's not got a hundred here in Australia, this isn’t the be-all and end-all."
With 12,777 runs, Root is head and shoulders above any active Test batter. The recent Pakistan tour also saw Root surpass Sir Alastair Cook to become the highest run-getter for England in Tests.
"He might get a couple of hundreds next year and the way that England are playing" - Michael Vaughan
Vaughan reckons England's current approach could have Root compile at least two centuries next year in Australia and prove Lehmann wrong.
The 50-year-old added in the same interaction:
"You'd like to come here, and score runs. But he'll come next year in the way that he's playing in this England side now at four - playing the Joe Root way rather than the Bazball way - I’ve got a sneaky feeling that might come back to haunt Darren next year. He might get a couple of hundreds next year and the way that England are playing, particularly against this Kookaburra ball, I think it's going to be a great contest."
Having not won a series in Australia since 2011-12, England will also want to tick that off next year.