Former Australian opener David Warner has doubled down on his criticism of Joe Root, predicting the England superstar will be having “nightmares” about facing Josh Hazlewood during this summer’s Ashes.
Currently representing the London Spirit in the Hundred, Warner was quizzed by local reporters about the upcoming Ashes campaign during a media day at Lord’s, predicting that Australia would win the marquee series 3-1.
Last week, the 38-year-old took a gentle dig at Root by suggesting the second-leading run-scorer in Test history was susceptible to LBW dismissals when facing Hazlewood. The former England captain, who has never scored a century in Australia, averages 51.29 in Tests, but that figure slips to 31.40 when facing Hazlewood.
It prompted a response on social media from Warner’s tormentor in chief Stuart Broad.
The pair then came face to face on Tuesday iduring the BBC’s pre-game coverage of the The Hundred where Warner is playing for the London Spirit.
“I have to ask – do you always call your pads surfboards or do you save that for Rooty?” Broad asked his old sparring partner.
“You’ve got to understand that I’m small, so I tend to say they are surfboards,” Warner replied.
“I liked your [X post] but I forgot to tweet back actually, I will do that after the game.”
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Pressed by reporters later on whether Australia’s bowlers would target Root’s pads this summer, Warner did not back away from his original comments.
“That’s where we always targeted him.”
The New South Welshman also compared the looming battle between Root and Hazlewood to his own struggles against former England bowler Stuart Broad, who dismissed him 17 times in the Test arena.
“The way that he brings down his bat playing on Australian wickets, it can bring him undone and I’ve seen it in the past,” Warner said of Root.
“I think he will have nightmares before he gets over there about Josh Hazlewood. A bit like me and Broady.
“Joe is a hell of a cricket player, look at the runs he has scored, the second leading run-scorer in the world. But I’m sure he’d like to score a hundred in Australia. It’s one that has eluded him. I think that will be on his mind, so we will have to wait and see.”
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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).
Hazlewood has dismissed Root ten times in Tests — three of which were LBW — while only Australian captain Pat Cummins and Indian speedster Jasprit Bumrah have achieved the feat more often, with 11 each.
Warner also warned that Harry Brook, named player of the recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy after smacking a 91-ball hundred at The Oval, will be tested by short-pitched bowling this summer.
According to Warner, England’s ultra-aggressive approach to batting, colloquially known as ‘Bazball’, may backfire on Australia’s bouncier decks with a spread field. Brook was undone by bouncers on multiple occasions during the 2023 Ashes in the United Kingdom.
“If England want to take that approach in Australia, they are going to have to expect a deep third man, a deep backward point, two men out square and all that and then you can play your shots,” Warner explained.
“There are going to be a lot of chances and Australia will have to take them. In Australia, there is not one place where you can drive on the up and play shots willy nilly. Especially in the last two years, the wickets have been very conducive.
“If Australia start bowling the bumper barrage, like they have done in the past few years, there are going to be no real answers.
“Guys like Brooky can come out and play the way he wants, but he is going to have to start practising more on the short ball because I think that’s what he is going to get.”
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Two years ago, Warner was a central figure during the infamous stumping of England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, confronting an MCC member in the Lord’s Long Room as players retreated to the changing rooms.
“For me, it was laughable,” Warner reflected.
“I just found it funny how people behaved. I’ve got no bad memories of it – just some people who wanted to react the way they did.”
Warner’s Spirit will next face Steve Smith’s Welsh Fire at Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens on Saturday.