James Anderson: England's Joe Root has a 'point to prove' in the Ashes

Root, who has rediscovered his relentless scoring touch since stepping down as captain in 2022, remains central to England's hopes as they prepare for the first Test at Optus Stadium in Perth early on Friday.

Now England's all-time leading run-scorer, Root arrives in Australia with a sparkling 2025 average of 63.44 and 14 Test centuries under the Brendon McCullum-Ben Stokes regime.

His overall Ashes record down under, however, tells a different story. Across 27 innings in Australia, Root averages 35.68 and is still searching for his maiden Test hundred in the country.

He has, nonetheless, registered nine fifties there - a tally exceeded this century for England only by Sir Alastair Cook and Ian Bell.

England, beaten 13-0 across the last three Ashes tours, will depend heavily on Root if they are to reverse their dire recent fortunes on Australian soil.

"A lot has been made about Joe Root in the build up to the Ashes, that he's not achieved a century in Australia," Anderson told the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2025.

"He averages below 40 in Australia, so I feel like he's got a point to prove.

"When you've got a player of that quality who wants to prove a point, more often than not, they'll do something pretty special. So, I'm hopeful that he'll show people what he can do."