Ashes 2023 Duel: Joe Root and Steve Smith Ready for a Summer Clash

The Men’s Ashes 2023 kicks off at Edgbaston between the 16th and 20th of June. Test cricket powerhouses Joe Root and Steve Smith are set for a thrilling encounter. With Smith boasting the highest number of Test centuries amongst active batters and Root having scored the most runs, it’s shaping up to be an intense competition.

Both players are in outstanding form, each proving to be a cornerstone for their respective teams. Root is enjoying a sparkling run of form with England, having accumulated the most runs among active Test batters. Australia’s Smith, on the other hand, has the distinction of being an unparalleled Test century maker of his time, and he seems to be regaining his form.

Deciding who is the superior Test batter might be challenging, and when selecting a number four batter, it could get even more intricate.

Smith, if selected for an Ashes series, would be the obvious choice. With 11 Ashes centuries, he falls only behind Australian legend Don Bradman (19) and England’s Jack Hobbs (12). Smith is also fifth on the all-time Ashes run list, behind Hobbs, and could well end his career as the highest run scorer in Ashes history since Bradman.

Root’s average against Australia (38.76) is less than his overall average against all other teams (53.82). Although he hasn’t scored a century since 2015, his three Ashes centuries have all come on home soil.

Despite missing a Test in 2019 due to concussion, Smith’s performance during that year’s Ashes, with 774 runs and an average of 110.57, was one of the most impressive by any batter.

Root admired Smith’s 2019 Ashes performance as a “remarkable accomplishment,” particularly considering the scrutiny following his year-long ban for his involvement in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. Root highlighted Smith’s skill, resilience, and dedication to the contest during an interview with Sport Newes Center.

Root, who is two years younger than Smith, may finish his career with more Test runs and possibly more centuries than Smith, whose career was affected by the ban. Already having amassed 11,004 runs, Root could even surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s world record of 15,921, assuming he stays fit, eager, and prolific.

Smith, though, has the sixth-best Test average of all time (60.04) and has a higher conversion rate of fifties into hundreds (45.6%) than Root. Additionally, Smith has scored a century in 18.1% of his innings, while Root has achieved the feat in 12.2% of his innings. Across all formats, however, Root has outperformed Smith in one-day and T20 international cricket.

Choosing a player to watch based solely on statistics may not be enough. Root is known for his elegant style, while Smith’s unique mannerisms and timing make him an entertaining batter to watch.

Smith and Root have competed against each other in six previous Ashes series. The two were their team’s highest run-scorers only once, in 2015. However, Root’s competition with Smith didn’t significantly influence the outcome of that series. There is hope, though, that this summer’s series will provide a defining contest between the two players.

Root is in excellent form, having scored 3,181 runs and 12 centuries since the start of 2021. Relieved from the captaincy, he has thrived under Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.

Smith, despite a modest spell, looked promising in the World Test Championship final victory over India, securing his 31st Test century. This series may be his last opportunity to win an Ashes series in England, following two losses and a draw.

So, the question remains: who will you pick?

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