‘We're prepared for Aussie pace rampage’

Joe Root knows just how damaging a rampaging Australian pace attack can be having experienced first-hand the devastation wreaked on England by Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris during his maiden Ashes tour in 2013-14.

However, England's new Test captain has backed his players to cope with the current crop of Aussie speedsters during the upcoming Champions Trophy and then the Ashes at the end of the year, reports cricket.com.au

Root has yet to take charge of England having been named as Alastair Cook's successor back in February.

That opportunity will come in July when his team host South Africa in a four-match series, with three Tests against West Indies to follow before England head Down Under in late October to begin their Ashes campaign.

Root will hope his side can fare much better than the one that was whitewashed four years ago, with Johnson's 37 wickets at 13.97 and Harris' 22 at 19.31 inspiring Australia to their second 5-0 home Ashes win in six years.

It was also a series that saw Root dropped for the final Test in Sydney – a setback he has recovered from since by embarking on a spectacular run of form across all formats arguably only bettered by Steve Smith and Virat Kohli.