Root eager to make ‘lifelong memories’ in upcoming Ashes tour

Sheffield, 15 October 2025:

Former England captain Joe Root says he is relishing the chance to “create lifelong memories” in Australia as he prepares for another Ashes tour, free from the burden of leadership and armed with greater experience.

Speaking to Sky Sports at a celebrity padel event in Sheffield, the 34-year-old said he feels “in a different place” ahead of the series, having learned from previous tours where he averaged 35.68 across 14 Tests.

“I haven’t got the responsibility of captaincy and I’m a lot more experienced,” Root said. “Big series are the ones you want to play in and contribute in. You want to create memories with the guys that you can share for the rest of your lives. That’s the opportunity in front of us.”

Root said his focus is on helping England reclaim the urn, not on personal milestones. “If I’m doing my role in the team, personal accolades will come. It’s about winning that urn back. It’s been a long time since we held it,” he said.

England last won an Ashes series in Australia under Andrew Strauss in 2010-11 and have lost 13 of 15 Tests there since. Root believes England’s aggressive “Bazball” approach, paired with the pace of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, could change that record.

“We got a small idea of what it’s going to be like when we played India this summer, another huge series,” Root said. “There’s mental fatigue, a lot of cricket in a short space of time. But we’re going there with a completely different style. With the ball, especially, we can hit them hard and be aggressive with the bat to put pressure back on them.”