Warne says Root will be 'crucified' if played as opener in return Ashes

Australian cricket legend Shane Warne has said that Joe Root will be crucified if England play him as an opener in the Ashes series Down Under.

According to Metro.co.uk, the Aussie spin legend has championed the claims of his former Hampshire teammate Michael Carberry at the top of England's order and believes Root should drop down to the vacant No.6 position.

The 22-year-old was promoted to open alongside captain Alastair Cook at the start of last summer's Ashes, the report said.

England won that series 3-0 but Root endured a torrid time after his landmark 180 at Lord's, scoring 118 runs in six innings, the report added.

The Yorkshire batsman failed, too, in England's Ashes tour opener in Perth, hitting just 36 against a Western Australia XI, a match which saw Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell score centuries and Carberry impress with an eye-catching 78, the report further said.

Warne said that Root played really well at Lord's and Australia had a bit of a shocker there, but he does not think the player is an opener or if his technique is tight enough.

He added that he could be crucified while facing Ryan Harris or Mitchell Johnson on fast, bouncy pitches.