Australia Great Slams Joe Root After Poor Show: "Bazball With No Sense"

In the opening Test of the Ashes Series 2025 at Perth, England's batting fell apart spectacularly, and the criticism came loud and clear from Australia's camp. David Warner didn't hold back, unloading on Joe Root after the England star managed just eight runs in the second innings, following a duck in the first during a match where Australia's pace attack once again picked crucial wickets. Warner labelled England's aggressive “Bazball” approach as cancel-worthy, saying it lacked sense and discipline.  

Joe Root, one of England's most dependable batters, was dismissed for a duck in the first innings and then again for eight in the second, both times falling victim to Mitchell Starc. That marked the tenth time Starc has dismissed Root in Test cricket. In the first innings England had looked well placed, but a string of dismissals quickly changed momentum and left them vulnerable. 

Warner was withering in his commentary: “It's Bazball with no sense, all those three to start. Now we want some smarts in the game, and that just isn't smart, especially from a guy with over 10,000 runs. Trying to create something out of nothing. They're well ahead of the game, and that passage of play there could prove costly,”

He pointed directly at Root, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook, these were also among the England batters who played risky shots and soon realised the pitch and bowlers wouldn't spare mistakes.”

The Aussie bowlers, especially Starc, exploited England's shot-selection. Root fished outside the off stump, edging to slip in the first innings, and in the second inside-edged his stumps in the 20th over. Both times Starc had the better of him.

From Warner's perspective, eradicating this kind of reckless batting is essential. He argued that England needed “smarts” more than flamboyance, especially when they held the upper hand early. The message was clear, intent alone won't win you a Test match.

For England, the warning signs are clear. They had the upper hand early, but their batting collapse and Root's poor performance allowed Australia to take control. For Root, getting dismissed by Starc for the tenth time only adds to the pressure as England tries to recover in this high-stakes series. Warner's sharp comments also underline that the Ashes aren't just about scoring runs, they're about smart strategy, discipline and taking charge when you're ahead. England now needs to regroup quickly if they want to bounce back.

Topics mentioned in this article

David Warner Joe Root England Cricket Team Australia Cricket Team Australia vs England, Ashes 2025-26 Cricket