Joe Root eyes 2029 Ashes series in Australia – when he will turn 39

Joe Root admits he would “love” to feature in the next Ashes series down under but acknowledged that he’ll have to see “how things unfold in time.”

England’s star batsman hit a terrific 160 in the fifth Test in Sydney, his second century of a series in which he made his first-ever ton in Australia, in the second Test in Brisbane, after three previous Ashes series’ down under without a three-figure score.

Root, 35, has a central contract until the summer of 2027, when England will look to regain the Ashes on home soil, but England’s greatest ever run-scorer also has his sights set on a fifth tour in Australia in four years.

Asked if he would like to be on the next Ashes tour, Root said: "Who knows? We'll see. I'd love to. We'll see how things unfold in time.

"One thing I always try and look at is opportunity. I don't know how many opportunities I'm going to get to come back to Australia."

Should Root decide to play Test cricket at international level for another four years, it looks likely he will break Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time Test match run record of 15,921 runs. Root, second on the list, is just under 2,000 behind on 13,937.

Root’s century on day two helped England set a first innings total of 384, as the tourists look to reduce the deficit in the series to 3-2.

"It was great to win at the MCG," said Root. “Hopefully that benefits the Test team moving forward when it comes back to playing here, having good memories.

"For a lot of this squad it is the first time they've been out here, so if they've got good memories and we can find a way to win this fixture, next time we come out, the last two memories we'd have out here would be two Ashes wins.

"The baggage that might have been there for a previous generation might not be there for them. There's so much to play for throughout the next three days."