England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick has heaped praise on Joe Root, lauding the veteran batter’s supreme form and consistency ahead of the highly anticipated Ashes 2025 series against Australia. Trescothick believes Root has elevated his game to new heights and appears in complete command of his technique, mindset, and approach — a sign of a player at the peak of his powers. Root enters the Ashes as the No. 1 Test batter in the ICC Men’s Rankings, holding a comfortable lead over his rivals.
However, his record in Australia has long been a topic of discussion. Despite an illustrious career featuring 39 Test centuries, Root has never reached three figures Down Under, with 14 Tests across three previous Ashes tours failing to yield the elusive triple century. Adding to the challenge, the 34-year-old has yet to taste victory in an away Ashes Test — a drought he will be determined to end when the series begins in Perth on November 21.
Marcus Trescothick credited Root’s resurgence to the influence of Brendon McCullum, whose fearless coaching philosophy has allowed players to express themselves freely. “The way Joe has gone about his game in the last couple of years shows how comfortable he is with his approach. His batting has gone to another level, which is why he’s where he is in the rankings. You’d be very surprised if he doesn’t continue this form into the Ashes,” Trescothick said, as quoted by the ICC.
ALSO READ: Dhruv Jurel Dismisses Talk Of Competition With Rishabh Pant, Says Team India Comes First
Before the first Test, England will play a three-day warm-up game against the England Lions at Lilac Hill in Perth. Trescothick confirmed that every squad member will participate across the two sides, giving the coaching staff valuable insight into form and rhythm ahead of the big series.
However, Trescothick made it clear that performances in the practice match won’t drastically alter England’s Test lineup. “Everyone has an opportunity to stake their claim, but we’ve been very consistent with our selection. Unless there’s an injury, we don’t plan to make major changes. The idea is to maintain stability so that when big series like the Ashes come around, the team is settled and confident,” he explained.
With Root in sublime touch and McCullum’s dynamic leadership energizing the squad, England will aim to rewrite their Ashes fortunes and script history in Australia.
ALSO READ: ICC Likely To Expand Next WTC Cycle To 12 Teams, Drops Two-Tier Model Proposal
Australia’s squad (first Test only): Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
England’s squad: Ben Stokes (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Mark Wood
