Joe Root urges his men to fight back after Steve Smith's laugh

England skipper Joe Root is not very pleased with the manner in which Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft went about the press-conference post the Brisbane Test match. The Australian skipper laughed hard when Bancroft explained the incident involving him and Jonny Bairstow. The Aussie opener said that Bairstow ‘head-butted’ him ahead of the start of the Ashes.

Root urged his men to go hard at the hosts after the kind of treatment served to them. Root said that their line and Australian’s line are different and he doesn’t wish to indulge in such mind games and chatter. He feels that Smith’s reaction should motivate the England team in the upcoming games.

Their line and our line are different: Root

“I think their line and our line are slightly different things, let’s leave it at that,” Root said ahead of the second game. “To see a reaction like that in a press conference is I mean if that can’t get you up for the next game then I don’t know what can. If that’s not motivation to the players, I don’t know what is.” Root said.

“Hopefully that will work massively in our favour. I know it’s an Ashes series, there is a lot on the line and naturally you are going to be motivated for every game but knowing the characters in our dressing-room that will really give them a bit of something else to make sure we put things right this week,” he added.

Root referred to the ‘mint’ incident featuring the South African captain Faf du Plessis and said that the Aussies are known for such acts. “I think it’s something you expect when you come here now. You look at Faf-gate last year and there were comments last time we were here as well with Trotty and other players. It’s part of touring Australia now I think. It’s a strategy they use on occasions and we’ve got to move forward as a team. We all knew it was blown widely out of proportion.” he said.