'No-one will remember' Australian Ashes digs - Root

They have been queuing up for a year down under.

First Darren Lehmann said Joe Root needs to score a century in Australia to be considered an "all-time great".

Then there was David Warner and Root's "surfboard".

Last month Greg Blewett left Root out of an all-time England XI because he has not reached three figures in any of his 14 Tests in Australia.

Root remains unflustered.

"They are going to say what they want to say anyway so why bother worrying about it," the 34-year-old said. "It doesn't make a huge amount of difference.

"When we look back in five year's time no-one is going to remember what Matthew Hayden said to me, Greg Blewitt, Mark Waugh, whoever it is.

"They are going to look back on the scoreline and think that is a historic England win or not."

Hayden, the legendary former Australia opener, has been one of the few to come out on Root's side.

In response to Blewett's claim, he said he would "walk nude" around the Melbourne Cricket Ground this summer if Root does not scratch his Australian century itch.

That puts the pressure on Root more than ever, perhaps, before the series which begins on 21 November.

"Maybe it is," Root said.

"At the end of the day this tour is not about me.

"If I am scoring runs and scoring heavily it gives us a great opportunity to win a series out in Australia."

Root has spoken about previously wanting his first ton in Australia "too much".

He has a respectable average of 35.68 in 14 Tests in Australia - he has nine fifties - but his high score is stuck in double digits at 89.

This time he travels without the burden of captaincy, something he had on the two previous tours, while he will also be part of a batting line-up and wider squad whose chances of succeeding appear higher than of the past three to have made the trip.

Neither Root nor captain Ben Stokes have won a Test on Australian shores.

"I go there in a completely different capacity to last time, different circumstances, a lot more experience now and I feel like I have a really good understanding of my game and how I want to manage it in the conditions," Root said.

"Clearly you have got to put that into practice and be good enough when it really counts, but I am really comfortable with where everything is at and looking forward to the opportunity and challenge that lies ahead.

"More than anything as a senior player it is about not just performing in terms of the runs but everything else that comes with it."

After two hours of cricket drills with youngsters at a Chance to Shine event in Leeds, Root has to correct himself when asked if he agrees this is England's best chance to win an away Ashes during his time in the team.

"It definitely does, if I am being brutally honest," he said, upgrading an initial assessment of "probably".

"The thing that I'm most excited about is going there with a completely different approach as a playing group.

"We're going to be able to hit them with something quite different in terms of our bowling attack, and the opportunity to potentially play three or four bowlers that bowl 90mph-plus for a sustained period of time.

"It's not like we are going to go there with the same formula and expect different results.

"We are going to go there and try and do it a slightly different way which is really exciting."