History can be cruel, even to the very best, and Joe Root was reminded of that harsh reality in Sydney as England’s latest Ashes defeat added an unwanted chapter to his remarkable career. The final Test of the 2025–26 Ashes series ended in disappointment for England, who were beaten convincingly by 5 wickets at the Sydney Cricket Ground. For Joe Root, the loss carried a heavy personal milestone that underlined just how unforgiving Australia has been for him over the years.
Widely regarded as one of England’s finest cricketers, Joe Root now holds the record for the most away Test defeats suffered by any player in a single country. The Sydney loss was his 16th Test defeat in Australia, pushing him past former teammates James Anderson and Alastair Cook who had each lost 15 Tests Down Under. In the long history of Test cricket, no player has endured more losses in one overseas nation.
What makes the statistic even more striking is that Joe Root once again did everything in his power with the bat. His superb first-innings knock of 160 was a reminder of his class and resilience, even as the rest of the series slipped away from England. Despite playing 19 Tests in Australia, Joe Root has tasted victory there just once, a rare high point that came in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne last year.
Joe Root’s difficult relationship with the Australian conditions began early. His first Ashes tour in 2013–14 ended in a complete whitewash, with England losing every match he played. As captain in the 2017–18 and 2021–22 Ashes series, the results were no kinder. On both the tours, England lost four Tests, managing only a solitary draw each time, often looking outmatched for long periods.
The current 2025–26 Ashes series followed a similar pattern. England managed just one win across five Tests, losing four and once again falling short in the decisive moments. The defeat in Sydney sealed both the series loss and Joe Root’s unwanted record.
On the broader stage of Test cricket history, Joe Root now sits among players who have experienced more losses than the others. The overall record for the most Test defeats belongs to former West Indies great Shivnarine Chanderpaul who lost 77 matches across a long career. Joe Root, with 64 defeats from 163 Tests, is now third on that list, behind Shivnarine Chanderpaul and James Anderson. Away from home, he is also among the players with the most losses, alongside other legendary names.
Despite these numbers, Joe Root’s career remains extraordinary. He is less than 2,000 runs away from becoming the highest run-scorer in Test cricket history. While another full Ashes tour of Australia seems unlikely for him, he could still return for a special one-off Test in Melbourne next year to mark 150 years of Test cricket, offering one last chance to rewrite the story on the Australian soil.
