The Ashes: Joe Root will have a really good series, the rest have to help him along the way, says Ian Bell

England captain Joe Root goes into the Ashes in imperious form and Ian Bell said that while he will have a good series in Australia, other batters have to step up and help him along the way.

Joe Root will put in great performances in the Ashes this year in Australia but the rest of the England batsmen have to step up and help him out, former batsman Ian Bell has said. Root goes into the series on the back of arguably the best year of his career in Test cricket.

Root has scored 1455 runs in 12 Tests in 2021 and is expected to go past his best tally for a calendar year in the series. He had scored 1477 runs in 17 Tests in 2016.