Centurion Root eyes next Ashes series down under

In Sydney, England’s all-time top run-scorer, who celebrated his 41st century in the fourth-test series against Australia, finished his fourth-day international.

Root has never won an Ashes series in Australia despite having a stellar career. Root’s first of 18 attempts resulted in England winning the fourth Test of this series.

The former England captain’s record for most Test starts and runs is likely to be broken if he makes an additional four-year extension of his career.

Opportunity is something I always try to look at, Root said. “I’m not sure how many opportunities I’ll have to return to Australia,” he said.

At the Sydney Cricket Ground, Root’s 160 helped England to get to 384 runs before Australia responded with a 166-2 win. During Australia’s innings, he was almost two hours away from the field, which was later explained by cramp in his back.

Root is the only test-takers in the world with more than a century, running just under 2 000 tests in a year for the first time since Sachin Tendulkar, the only man with more. With only four more years as an England international available, Root’s 163rd Test debut will give him enough opportunities to surpass Tendulkar’s 200-caps record.

Root has won two Ashes home series titles, but his career has coincided with England’s mediocre standing there.

England have lost 5-0, 4-0, and 4-0 on Root’s previous three tries. He led the other two 4-0 defeats.

England won the first three Tests of the series despite losing them, but they were able to avoid a 5-0 clean sweep with victory at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Both Root and his successor, England captain Ben Stokes, won their first games in Australia.

Root praised the MCG win as “extraordinary.” “Hopefully that helps the Test team when they return to play here and have good memories.”

The first time this squad has been out here is “for a lot of them,” so if they have good memories and can win this game, the only other memories we’ll have are two Ashes wins.

“The baggage that might have been present for a generation might not be there for them,” he said. Over the course of the next three days, there is a lot to enjoy.

Root has previously experienced a downturn in Sydney. The Yorkshireman was omitted from his Test debut in 2013-14, which was his only previous absence from the Ashes tour.

He was hospitalized after batting in temperatures of 47C (116. 6F) four years later. He was unable to carry out his media duties as captain due to his health.

Root scored his first Ashes 100 in Brisbane earlier in this tour before the second Test.

When he reached three figures at the Sydney Cricket Ground, he shrugged his shoulders in the direction of the Barmy Army and reacted in a similar way to his celebration from the Gabba.

“We’ve had some amazing support in this series,” Root said, “but we’ve been unable to accomplish what we set out to accomplish.”