Joe Root hits back at Darren Lehmann after former Australia coach claimed England’s star batter is ‘a rung below’ Virat Kohli and Steve Smith

Joe Root has responded to Darren Lehmann’s claim that he is not at the same level as Virat Kohli and Steve Smith.

The former Australia coach made the controversial remark during his nation’s humbling 295-run first Test defeat by India on Monday. 

Lehmann told ABC Sport: ‘Joe Root is a great player, but is he an all-time great? He’s had four [three] goes in the Ashes, hasn’t made a hundred.

Asked if he considered him in the same category as Kohli and Smith, Lehmann added: ‘Nope, a rung below for that reason. They’ve made runs all over the world in difficult conditions against different oppositions. And that’s the only thing stopping Joe Root. I think he’s a great player, but is he in that upper echelon?

‘So, I don’t have him in that realm. I think you’ve got to make hundreds all around the world. Smith does, [Kane] Williamson has, Kohli has, [Rohit] Sharma has – I mean they’re world-class players.’

Ahead of England’s opening Test in New Zealand this week, Root was asked for his thoughts on Lehmann’s comments.

Lehmann believes Root is not at the same level due to not scoring a Test hundred in Australia

Lehmann feels Root is ‘a rung below’ Virat Kohli (left) and Steve Smith (right)

‘I’ve not spoken to him for a while,’ said Root. ‘I’ll do my job and he can do his job. He’s completely entitled to say what he wants. That’s his right.’

Lehmann later took to X to clarify his claim, but doubled down his stance that Root needs to score a ton in Australia to move up the pecking order of all-time greats.

‘Just to be clear as there are a lot of people who think that I think Joe Root is not a great,’ Lehmann wrote.

‘He is going to be a great, I know that and a wonderful ambassador for our game, but needs and he will probably do this next Ashes. Get a hundred in Australia and then no dispute.’

Root is currently the No1 ranked Test batter in the men’s game, above Kohli and Smith.

He also has more Test hundreds (35) than his rivals, and became England’s leading run-scorer when he overtook Sir Alastair Cook earlier this year.  

The 33-year-old has scored four Ashes hundreds in home series, but is yet to pass three figures in Australia.

He is set to get the chance to right that wrong when England face Australia Down Under next winter.