"His game is magnificent…"- Ricky Ponting believes Joe Root will smack his maiden test ton in Australia during The Ashes 2025-26

Ricky Ponting said Joe Root is better equipped now as a player than ever.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes that senior England batter Joe Root will end his test century drought on Australian soil during The Ashes 2025-26. Ponting also added that Root has been in magnificent form in recent times in the longest format.

Root is currently the No.1 ranked ICC test batter and has captured a lot of limelight with his batting this year. For instance, he touched the milestone of 13,000 test runs earlier this year. During the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, he became the second highest run-scorer in test cricket, surpassing batting legends like Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, and Ricky Ponting in the list.

Moreover, Root showed a brilliant form in the test series against India, finishing as the highest run-scorer for his team with 537 runs in nine innings at a stunning average of 67.12. The veteran England batsman hammered three centuries across five games, with 150 being his highest score.

Joe Root’s game is magnificent at the moment: Ricky Ponting

During a chat with the International Cricket Council (ICC), Australian batting legend Ponting backed Root to register his first test ton in Australia during The Ashes 2025-26, citing his magnificent form at the moment.

“That’s what it is, a mental thing for him this series more than anything else. His game is magnificent at the moment. He’s got to get over that little mental hurdle and get 100. And I actually think he will get that 100 this time around,” he said.

“I think he’s better equipped now as a player than ever. Other times he’s come here to Australia, he’s had one or two little technical issues that on the extra bouncy wickets, the Australian fast bowlers have been able to exploit,” he added.

Ponting also highlighted Root’s purple patch in the format for the last one-and-a-half years.

“And I have watched the way that he’s played over the last 12 or 18 months, it looks like he’s worked really hard on taking those motive dismissals out of play. But you also know that little man that sits on your shoulder, he keeps telling you, you haven’t done well here in the past, and you haven’t got 100 here,” he further said.

Notably, Root has amassed 892 runs in 14 tests in Australia at an average of 35.68. With highest score of 89 runs, he has slammed nine half-centuries on Australian soil, but is yet to hit a hundred. Meanwhile, The Ashes 2025-26 will commence on November 21 with the opening game at the Optus Stadium, Perth.

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