Joe Root Defends Status Among Cricket Greats

Joe Root, the former England captain and leading Test run-scorer, has faced criticism from former Australia coach Darren Lehmann, who argues that Root cannot be considered an all-time great until he scores a century in Australia. Root, with 12,754 runs in 149 matches and a remarkable average of over 51, has been the top scorer in Tests for 2024, including five centuries this year. Lehmann's comments, which suggest that Root falls short compared to players like Steve Smith and Virat Kohli, have sparked a debate on Root's legacy. In response, Root emphasized his focus on scoring runs and stated that Lehmann is entitled to his opinion. Despite Lehmann's remarks, Root's impressive statistics place him at the forefront of contemporary cricket, especially after breaking Alastair Cook's record as England's all-time leading run-scorer. As Root prepares for his 150th Test against New Zealand, the discourse around his standing in the cricketing elite continues to unfold.