Joe Root speaks to ecb.co.uk after beating Tim Bresnan and Steven Finn round the racetrack
By Rob Barnett
Joe Root says England “want to show the world how good we are”.
Root has been part of the touring team that have lost the first three Ashes Tests in Australia to surrender the urn they had held since 2009.
The 22-year-old batsman has, like many of his team-mates, shown glimpses of his ability, in his case with a defiant second-innings 87 at Adelaide.
However, he has not been able to prevent a series defeat and Root knows Alastair Cook’s side must outdo Australia in the next Test, at the MCG from Boxing Day.
Speaking exclusively to ecb.co.uk, Root said: “We want to show the world how good we are.
“We know we’re a good side - that doesn’t change overnight - and we’ve not played as well as Australia in this series.
“That’s common knowledge, that’s fact, and we’re going to have to make sure that we step our game up in Melbourne.
“And we just keep working on our own individual games and make sure that we try and outplay them and outskill them when it comes to Boxing Day.”
England have moved on to Melbourne since losing the Ashes at Perth on Tuesday.
Following a few days of rest, they are due to start training again on Sunday. However, Root says the tourists have been mulling over individual improvements in the meantime.
“Everyone’s been doing a lot of thinking about their own games,” he added.
“I don’t think we can think really too much about what’s gone. We’ve got to really look forward and try and make sure we improve.
“Boxing Day is obviously a massive occasion and it’s a great opportunity for us and we’ve got to try and take that and make the most of it.”
Root was speaking at a promotional day for Jaguar, one of England’s sponsors, which he attended with Tim Bresnan and Steven Finn.
Root, who outpaced Bresnan and Finn round the racetrack, said: “In a five-match series when you’re playing so much cricket, regardless of the results, you’re always going to want some downtime and get away from the game and do something slightly different.
“This was a great opportunity to do that and Jaguar have been fantastic.”