Warner's Ashes jibe 'part of the fun' - Root

Joe Root's Trent Rockets play Warner's London Spirit in The Hundred on Thursday at 18:30 BST

England batter Joe Root says David Warner's pre-Ashes sledge is "all part of the fun" and believes he is better placed than ever to score his first Test century in Australia this winter.

Root, 34, continued his superb form this summer and will be key when England head to Australia in November to try to win the Ashes for the first time since 2015.

He has not scored a hundred in 14 Tests in Australia and, speaking to BBC Sport earlier this month, former Australia opener Warner said Root will have to "take the surfboard off his front leg" - a reference to the perception Root is regularly dismissed lbw.

"I can't have any control or say on how people see the game or talk in an interview," said Root. "It is irrelevant.

"What more can I do about it? Just keep my surfboard out the way and make sure it is not a talking point in 100 days' time."

Root and Warner will meet in The Hundred at Lord's on Thursday when the Englishman's Trent Rockets travel to play London Spirit.

Asked if he will respond to Warner's jibes on the field, Root said: "I don't think so.

"I guess it is all part of the fun, right? We will see what happens but it is not really in my nature to get too verbal."

While Root has never scored a century or won a Test in Australia, he has scored nine fifties and averages 35.68 - a respectable record although well below his career average of 51.29.

This summer he scored 537 runs in five Tests against India and moved up to second in the all-time Test run-scorers list behind only India legend Sachin Tendulkar.

"Having played in Australia a couple of times before, now going with 150-odd Test caps under my belt, I feel I couldn't be more ready for it," said Root.

"The thing that stands out for me is I probably wanted it [a century] way too much the last couple of times. It took me away from what was important."

Root added that there were "loads of other things to contend with" on the past two Ashes tours in Australia in 2021-22 and 2017-18, both of which the hosts won 4-0.

"There were a lot of distractions," said Root.

"I was captain, Covid [during the 2021-22 defeat], there was the Stokes incident the time before that, the Jonny [Bairstow] headbutt incident as well.

"This time I want to just go and enjoy the tour for what it is. It is a beautiful country it is a great place to go and play cricket.

"I know if I put my best performances in then everything else will look after itself."