Darren Lehmann claims Joe Root is ‘a rung below’ in shock Ashes sledge

Joe Root has responded after former Aussie coach Darren Lehmann took an unexpected swipe at the English star.

English star Joe Root has responded after former Aussie coach Darren Lehmann dropped a shock Ashes swipe out of nowhere.

Australia was blown off the Optus Stadium pitch in the opening match of the five-Test series against India in a 295-run humiliation but Lehmann’s attention had already shifted to next years’ Ashes.

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Although Australia is dealing with an Indian team that has won five of their last nine matches in Australia (two losses, two draws) and has not relinquished the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since 2014-15, Lehman called out Root’s record Down Under.

Since England last won a series in Australia in 2010-11, the Poms have not won a Test on Australian soil in the past three Ashes series.

And while Joe Root, who is England’s greatest Test run scorer on 12,754 and fifth all-time at an average of 51.01, has put together a career that will put him among the legends of the game, Lehmann said his lack of domination in Australia will ensure he won’t be remembered in the highest echelon of the game.

“Joe Root is a great player, but is he an all-time great? He’s had (three) goes in the Ashes (in Australia), hasn’t made a hundred, Lehmann said on ABC Sport.

“He is a rung below (Steve Smith, Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson) 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 in that upper echelon?

“I don’t have him in that realm. I think you’ve got to make hundreds all around the world. Smith does, (Kane) Williamson has, Kohli has, (Rohit) Sharma has – I mean they’re world-class players.”

The former Aussie coach has kicked off the Ashes war of words already. Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Root has played 14 Test matches in Australia with 892 runs at an average of 35.68, nine 50s and a highest score of 89.

Otherwise, Root has 35 centuries in his career including 14 away from home and seven on the subcontinent.

But since the last Ashes in Australia, Root has plundered 12 centuries and 11 fifties,

After the reaction to the comments, Lehmann took to X to clarify his stance.

“Just to be clear as there are a lot of people who think, that I think Joe Root is not a great. He is going to be a great, I know that and a wonderful ambassador for our game but needs and he will probably do this next Ashes. Get a hundred in Aus and then no dispute,” Lehmann tweeted.

For the record, Smith has 9702 runs at 56.41 including 32 centuries, half of which he’s scored away from home with eight in England and Wales. He also averages over 40 in every country except Bangladesh, where he’s only played two Tests in his career.

Williamson has 8881 runs at 54.48 with 32 centuries, 13 of which were away from home.

Kohli has 9145 runs at 48.13 with 30 tons, 16 away from home with seven in Australia, but only two in 17 Tests in England.

What else can Joe Root do to prove himself? Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Root, who is currently ranked as the world’s No. 1 batter (Williamson is ranked No. 2, Smith No. 5 and Kohli No. 22), hit back at the comments with a dismissive statement.

“I’ve not spoken to him for a while. I’ll do my job and he can do his job. He’s completely entitled to say what he wants. That’s his right,” Root said.

While Australia have to turn their series against India around first, next years’ Ashes will be hotly anticipated as England attempt to regain the Urn for the first time since 2015.

England are set to face New Zealand in a three-Test series starting on Wednesday.

But after the Bairstow drama and the heated scenes in England last series, it’s bound to fire up once again in 2025-26.

Originally published as Darren Lehmann claims Joe Root is ‘a rung below’ in shock Ashes sledge