Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, has strongly rejected Darren Lehmann’s recent comments criticizing Joe Root, in which the former Australian coach questioned whether Root could be considered an all-time great due to his inability to score a century in Australia across three Ashes series.
Lehmann, speaking on ABC during the first Test between Australia and India, suggested that Root’s failure to score a century in Australia over 27 innings left him a step behind players like Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, and Virat Kohli, who have excelled in tough conditions worldwide. He said, “Nope, he is a rung below for that reason. They’ve made runs all over the world in difficult conditions against different oppositions, and that’s the only thing stopping Joe Root. I think he’s a great player, but is he an all-time great? I don’t have him in that realm. I think you’ve got to make hundreds all around the world.”
Vaughan, in response on SEN Mornings, dismissed Lehmann’s criticism as “nonsense,” pointing out Root’s remarkable career achievements, including 12,777 Test runs and 35 centuries. Vaughan believes that despite Root’s Ashes struggles, the England batsman will finally score a century in Australia next year.
“That’s a load of nonsense. We’re talking about a player who could easily surpass Sachin Tendulkar in overall Test runs in a few years, if he stays fit. Just because he hasn’t scored a hundred here in Australia doesn’t define his greatness,” Vaughan commented.
Vaughan went on to add that Root’s current form, combined with England’s new approach under coach Brendon McCullum, could see him succeed in Australia, especially against the Kookaburra ball.
“He could get a couple of hundreds next year. With the way England is playing, it’s going to be a great contest,” Vaughan concluded.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are based on publicly available information and the statements made by the individuals mentioned. Please verify any details from original sources if needed.
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