Ashes 2025-26: Steve Harmison drops jaw-dropping prediction on Joe Root’s potential average and series scoreline

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As England prepare for their much-awaited Ashes 2025-26 tour down under, all attention turns to Joe Root, the world’s top-ranked Test batter and one of the modern greats. Root, who stands second only to Sachin Tendulkar in the all-time Test run charts, enters this series with a point to prove. Despite his brilliance elsewhere, Australia remains an unconquered frontier, 14 Tests, no centuries, and no victories. The challenge is clear: transform consistency into dominance on hostile Australian soil.

Former England fast bowler and Ashes 2005 hero Steve Harmison has made a headline-grabbing prediction, Joe Root will not just perform, but dominate in Australia. Speaking to Fox Cricket, Harmison claimed, “People have been telling me for two years that Joe Root is coming over to average 50. He’s not. I think he’s coming over to average 150.” The veteran pacer believes Root’s current rhythm, mindset, and hunger for redemption could see him outshine even Alastair Cook’s legendary 766-run tally from the 2010–11 Ashes.

Harmison also believes the stars are aligning for England. With Australia’s skipper Pat Cummins nursing a back injury and England’s fearless new generation embracing the aggressive ‘Bazball’’style, the ex-pacer sees this as England’s moment. Harmison added that while Root might look shaky for the first 15–20 balls, his adaptability and patience make him nearly unstoppable thereafter. Confidently predicting a 3–1 victory for England, he concluded that the tourists no longer fear Australia, a mental edge that might finally break a decade-long drought in the southern hemisphere.

“I am backing England, maybe like 3-1 to come to Australia and sledge Australia and Joe Root to have the best series he has had for a long time. I am that confident England will win. Where Joe is mentally, and with Cummins out, I think he’ll flourish. He’s vulnerable for the first 15–20 balls, but after that, he just keeps accumulating. England don’t fear Australia anymore. I don’t think there’s fear in the world with the way these young players approach the game,” Harmison concluded.

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For Joe Root, this Ashes is more than another series, it’s personal history waiting to be rewritten. His Test resume boasts over 11,000 runs, but the glaring absence of an Australian century has long been the only smudge on an otherwise illustrious record. Root’s quest for redemption isn’t just about form; it’s about legacy. He’s within touching distance of Tendulkar’s record 15,921 runs, and a prolific series could narrow that gap significantly.

Australia, on the other hand, remain formidable in home conditions, having dominated every visiting side since 2011. Yet, Root’s renewed confidence and England’s attacking approach offer a fresh narrative. If he can adapt to the bounce early and settle into his rhythm, a defining century mor perhaps a few, may not be far away. The Ashes of 2025–26 could very well be remembered as the series that restored Root’s supremacy and ended England’s long, painful wait for an away triumph.

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