Ashes war of words already underway as Broad hits back at Warner’s ‘surfboard’ gibe

There’s nearly four months until the first Ashes Test in Perth, but the war of words is already well underway.

Ex-England bowler Stuart Broad has hit back at comments from former Australian rival David Warner, who took a gentle dig at superstar batter Joe Root ahead of the marquee series.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Warner suggested that Root, the second-leading run-scorer in Test history, was susceptible to LBW dismissals, warning that Australian quick Josh Hazlewood will be targeting his front pad during this summer’s Ashes campaign. Root averages 51.09 in Tests, but that figure slips to 31.40 when facing Hazlewood.

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“The big anchor there is Rooty, who is yet to score a hundred in Australia,” Warner said.

“Hazlewood tends to have his number quite a lot. He will have to take the surfboard off his front leg.”

Most times dismissing Joe Root in Tests

11 – Pat Cummins (AUS)

11 – Jasprit Bumrah (IND)

10 – Josh Hazlewood (AUS)

9 – Ravindra Jadeja (IND)

England's Joe Root. Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP Source: AFP

Root has cracked 15 Test hundreds since the start of 2022, averaging 64.64 in the game’s longest format during that period. However, the right-hander has struggled on previous Ashes tours to Australia, scoring 892 runs at 35.68 with no centuries across 15 matches.

The Yorkshireman has been toppled by Hazlewood ten times in the Test arena – but as pointed out by Broad, only three of those dismissals were LBW, the most recent of which occurred way back in 2019.

“I’ve never heard England’s best ever batters front pad called a surfboard,” Broad tweeted.

“Just for clarity. Hazlewood has got Rooty LBW in Test cricket three times. Three.”

Since the start of 2013, no cricketer has been dismissed LBW in the Test arena more often than Root with 51, accounting for 19.39 per cent of his wickets, which is noticeably higher than teammates Ben Stokes (12.69), Ollie Pope (15.84) and Zak Crawley (14.29).

Warner, who will represent the London Spirit in the upcoming Hundred tournament, and Broad enjoyed an entertaining Ashes rival, with the Englishman removing the Australian opener on 17 occasions.

Most LBW dismissals in Tests since 2013

51 – Joe Root (ENG)

36 – Virat Kohli (IND)

33 – Steve Smith (AUS)

31 – Kraigg Brathwaite (WI)

30 – Jonny Bairstow (ENG)

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