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Joe Root’s Big Australia Chase: Milestones Within Reach in the 2026 ODI Series
Joe Root is about to step onto Australian soil with history sitting right in front of him. The three-match ODI series starts in Perth on November 13, and the England great could tick off a string of elite milestones in just six days. Here is what is on the line.
A Possible Farewell Tour Down Under
England face Australia in a fresh three-match ODI series from November 13 to November 18, starting in Perth. For the 35-year-old Root, this is likely his final white-ball assignment in Australia.
He has been named in England’s 15-player squad. The series gives him a chance to climb some illustrious batting charts and join some exclusive clubs.
Milestones at a Glance
- One match away from 200 ODI appearances
- Needs one fifty to reach 50 ODI half-centuries
- Needs 265 runs to reach 1,000 ODI runs vs Australia
- Needs 110 runs to reach 500 ODI runs vs Australia in Australia
- On the verge of becoming England’s most successful all-format batter vs Australia
- Three hundreds away from the world’s top four century-makers
Joining the 200-Match Club
Root made his ODI debut in January 2013 and has played 199 matches for England. One more appearance and he hits 200.
That would make him only the third England player to reach the mark. He would join Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler.
| Player | ODI Matches for England |
|---|---|
| Eoin Morgan | 225 |
| Jos Buttler | 204 |
| Joe Root | 199 |
Chasing a First-Ever 50th Fifty
Root has 49 fifties and 20 hundreds in ODIs, which makes 69 scores of 50 or more. One more half-century takes him to 50 fifties.
If he gets there, he will be the first England cricketer to do so in ODI history.
Rewriting the Record Books Against Australia
Root has scored 735 runs in 30 ODIs against Australia. He needs 265 more to reach 1,000, which would make him only the fourth England batter to get there.
Eoin Morgan, Graham Gooch and Ian Bell are the only England players with more than 1,000 ODI runs against the Aussies.
500 Runs in Australia Within Reach
Root has 390 ODI runs against Australia in Australia. He needs just 110 more to reach 500 in away ODIs against them.
Only Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan have done that among English players. Root is on the brink of joining them.
The All-Format Ashes Rivalry Numbers
Across all formats, Root has 3,750 runs against Australia in 111 innings. Another 250 runs would make him only the eighth player in history to reach 4,000 international runs against them.
He also needs only 314 runs to become England’s most successful all-format batter against Australia. That means passing David Gower’s 4,063.
| Player | Runs vs Australia (All Formats) |
|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | 6,707 |
| Virat Kohli | 5,551 |
| Brian Lara | 4,714 |
| Desmond Haynes | 4,495 |
| Vivian Richards | 4,453 |
| David Gower | 4,063 |
| Graham Gooch | 4,027 |
| Rohit Sharma | 3,832 |
| Joe Root | 3,750 |
Crashing the Big Four of Centuries
Root has 61 international hundreds. Three centuries in the three ODIs would take him to 64 and make him the fourth-highest century-maker in the world.
It is a tall order, but he would pass both Kumar Sangakkara and Jacques Kallis.
| Player | International Centuries |
|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | 100 |
| Virat Kohli | 86 |
| Ricky Ponting | 71 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 63 |
| Jacques Kallis | 62 |
| Joe Root | 61 |
Why This Series Matters for Root’s Legacy
The numbers show how consistently Root has delivered against Australia over more than a decade. Even partial progress on these records would strengthen his case as one of England’s greatest-ever batters.
Several of these marks need only one good innings. Others need a full series of big scores. Either way, all eyes will be on Root in Perth.
The Bottom Line
With a possible final white-ball tour of Australia ahead, Root has plenty to chase and little time to do it. One match, one fifty, and a few big knocks could change where he sits in cricket history.
