Root believes hostile crowd can benefit England in the Ashes series
England captain Joe Root believes the hostile environment awaiting his side in their Ashes opener in Brisbane can help bondhissideclosertogetheras theyattempttoreclaimtheurn behind enemy lines.
Touring England teams are routinely treated to a fierce welcome Down Under, nowheremoresothanatTheGabba,a42,000-capacitycauldron.
That is where the 2021/22 campaign will get under way tomorrow and the reception for Root’s team is likely to be even more fierce than usual.
Coronavirus travel restrictions mean the noisier elements of the Barmy Army will be tuning in from home rather than making themselves heard from the stands, with a reduced contingent of around 1,000 Queensland-based expatsholdingthefort.Andwhile that means the atmosphere will be highly partisan, Root sees a chance to build a siege mentalitywithhisteam-mates.
“It’s an opportunity for us to get really tight and stand up to that. It’s going to have to be,” he said. “More than anything we just need to make sure it doesn’t affect the way we go about things on the field. We’ll just embrace it and enjoy the atmosphere.
“It is hard to know because the guys who’ve been here before will have never experiencedthefansnotbeingthere. We always appreciate the supportwegetawayfromhome,it’s phenomenal, and I’m sure the Brisbane Barmies will come out in force and do everything they can to support us here at The Gabba.”
ThecrowdisthenottheonlythingEnglandwillbelooking to overcome this week, as they look shake off an ignominious recent history at the ground.
Root was not even born the last time his country triumphed at Australia’s stronghold in 1986, when Mike GattingwascaptainandStuart Broad’sfatherChrisopenedthe batting. Since then it has been ataleofwoecomprisingsixdefeats and two draws.
Root’s previous visit as captain four years ago ended in a 10-wicket thrashing, but he is eagertosnapthestreak–justas he did when England defeated SouthAfricainCapeTownlast year, their first Newlands win since 1957.
“(Victory) would absolutely set us up for the rest of the series and it’s a great opportunity,” he said. “This group of players went to Cape Town where we’ve not won a Test for a long time and off the back of a performance there won the series. I feel like we have been able to do that around the world and this is an opportunity to do that here.”