Australia's plans to nullify Joe Root have come off nicely, but
the hosts are wary of declaring him a spent force in the Ashes.
The England skipper is rightly billed as one of the world's premier batsmen but has yet to reach any great heights in the opening two Tests. Australia's bowlers made no secret of their plans to target Root in the lead-up to his first Ashes series as captain.
The 26-year-old has had a recent tendency to be dismissed lbw and fell twice in that fashion in the first Test in Brisbane, something Steve Smith speculated would play on his counterpart's mind.
Root would also be kicking himself with his dismissal to Pat Cummins in Adelaide, playing an expansive drive that resulted in a thick edge flying to third slip.
Paceman Mitchell Starc was pleased to see their plans bear fruit but cautioned that Root was good enough to bounce back.
"We've spoken a lot about him over the last few weeks in terms of plans and that sort of thing," Starc said.
"He's not in the runs yet but we know how good a player he is. "We're going to have to get him out again a few more times this series, three more times at least, to win the Ashes." While far from disastrous, Root's scores of 15, 51 and nine haven't been enough to carry an innings for his inexperienced batting order.
The classy right-hander will be desperate to contribute with England facing a hefty fourth-innings run chase in Adelaide.
"He's (made runs) here before, he's done it around the world," Starc said. "He's not someone you can take lightly with a couple of cheap dismissals."
