Melbourne: With over three months left for the highly anticipated Ashes Test series, England skipper Joe Root has warned his teammates to be wary of the Australian crowds and be prepared for some verbal battles with them.
Root has only experienced one previous Ashes tour, when England were hammered 0-5 in 2013-14.And ahead of the upcoming series, the England skipper has warned his players to expect a hostile reception in Australia.
"I think so, it`s part and parcel of being a senior player and more established in the side," Root was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
"You take that responsibility. You can`t choose who they pick on but it`s a challenge Test cricket throws up on occasion. If you`re going to survive in it you have to find a way to deal with it," he added.
For the likes of Mark Stoneman, Tom Westley, Dawid Malan, Toby Roland-Jones and Mason Crane, the next few weeks represent a golden chance to seal a maiden Ashes trip. And the Yorkshireman is aware that he will have to warn those who have not experienced an away Ashes series before.
"I think it`s important to.You don`t want to go out there and it just hit you like a train. You want to make sure you`re fully aware of what`s coming your way," he said.
"Last time there were a few chants from the crowd that were quite personal at times. Quite offensive. I was slightly surprised. I thought they might give us a bit of banter but it was a bit more than that," he added.
Root, who will probably be England`s batting mainstay in the Ashes, further pointed out that Aussie cricket fans are very passionate about cricket and desperate to win.
"When you get a full house and it`s rocking and the crowd are involved it makes a very entertaining spectacle to watch and also to play in," he said.
"You do get a hard time but when you win it`s that bit more enjoyable. Our challenge is to experience that and not let it faze us and hopefully come back with that little urn," he added.
