Former England skipper Joe Root opened up about his future following his century in the fifth Test of the Ashes 2025-26 against Australia at the SCG on Monday, January 5. The right-handed batter hinted that his time in Ashes cricket may not be over yet and that he still has the hunger to compete at the highest level.
Root scored his 41st Test hundred on day two of the fifth Test during his fourth Ashes tour in Australia. The visitors lost the Ashes series in just 11 days before winning the fourth Test at the MCG in Melbourne. It is worth mentioning that England’s all-time leading run-scorer has never won an Ashes series in Australia.
We’ll See How Things Unfold In Time – Joe Root
Joe Root was asked whether his gesture to the crowd in Australia was a farewell. He said that the moment was to thank fans for their constant support throughout a tough series. Root added that he would love to tour Australia again in four years, but it depends on how things unfold over time.
“I think you might be looking into it a little bit too much. I just felt like we’ve had some amazing support throughout this series, and we’ve not been able to achieve what we set out to as a group,” Root said.
“But at no point has that (support) ever wavered, and that’s never wavered whenever I’ve come out here on tour, it’s been exceptional. And it’s a way of saying thank you, really. Who knows? We’ll see. I’d love to, but we’ll see how things unfold in time,” he added.
”We’ll see how things unfold in time.” ⏰
After another century, Joe Root is not ruling out another Ashes trip Down Under.. #BBCCricket #Ashes pic.twitter.com/4fCMeBgilv
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) January 5, 2026
Joe Root Hits 41st Test Century in Fifth Ashes Test
Joe Root scored 160 off 242 balls, hitting 15 boundaries to help England post 384. It was his second hundred of the series and the 41st Test century of his career. With this innings, Root drew level with Ricky Ponting for third place on the all-time list of Test centuries.
Only two players now sit above Root on that list: Sachin Tendulkar with 51 hundreds and Jacques Kallis with 45. Root’s overall Test run tally stands at 13,937, bringing him closer to Tendulkar’s record of 15,921 runs.
Earlier in the series, Root had scored an unbeaten 138 in the day-night Test in Brisbane. That knock ended his long wait for a Test century in Australia after three previous Ashes tours without one.
Joe Root’s Tough Ashes Record in Australia Despite Home Success
Joe Root has enjoyed success in the Ashes series at home, winning the contest twice, but his time in Australia has been far more difficult. England suffered heavy defeats of 5-0, 4-0, and 4-0 on their last three tours Down Under, with Root captaining the side during the two 4-0 losses.
In the ongoing series, England lost the opening three Tests and surrendered the Ashes early. However, they managed to restore some pride by winning the fourth Test in Melbourne, avoiding a 5-0 whitewash. That victory marked the first Ashes Test win in Australia for Root and current captain Ben Stokes.
Sydney has also been a challenging venue for Root in the past. During his debut Ashes tour in 2013-14, he was dropped for the Sydney Test, the only time he has been left out in his entire Test career. Australia has been tough for him despite his long and successful career.
Also read: Joe Root steps in to protect Jamie Smith after Justin Langer’s ruthless attack in Sydney
