Australia batsman Peter Handscomb says he has sympathy for Joe Root after England lost the Ashes and face the possibility of a whitewash defeat.
England are 3-0 down in the series with two to play and will be playing for pride in Melbourne when the fourth Test starts on Boxing Day, before heading to Sydney for the final Test.
Root has struggled for runs in Australia, averaging just 29.33 with a top score of 67, and Handscomb, who knows Root well having played alongside him after signing as Yorkshire's overseas player in 2017, admits he feels sorry for the England captain.
"I feel for Joe [Root], but on the flip side we want to win this Ashes 5-0 we've said that from the start and we are going in the right track," said Handscomb.
"Obviously, it is tough for Joe. It is his second or third series as a captain of his country and I dare say he will be feeling the pressure at the moment.
"He is a smart cricketer, he has got a good head on his shoulders and he'll bounce back with his team as well."
Handscomb, who struggled in the first two matches of the series and was dropped by Australia for the third Test in Perth, is hopeful of regaining his place in the side and is confident that the hosts can complete a famous whitewash series victory.
"The first three games are a good indication of how the squad is going to go," he said.
"We have been playing some really good cricket, we've been bowling and batting well so going into the MCG test I see no reason why we can't continue to do that and hopefully go 4-0 up going into Sydney.
"I'm quite confident with the way I'm batting at the moment. I'm not really that worried about my game at the moment. I know how well I can play and I know how tough Test cricket is."