Star England batter Joe Root has completed his first century on Australian soil in the pink-ball second Ashes Test at The Gabba. On the other hand, Australia pacer Mitchell Starc has been the pick of the bowlers, taking six wickets, overtaking Pakistan great Wasim Akram for the most wickets by a left-arm seamer in Test history. Starc took two wickets in his first two overs, dismissing Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks. Zak Crawley (76) and Root led England’s recovery.
Coming in with England rocked at 5 for 2 inside the third over—after Starc removed both Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope—Root walked into a crisis that demanded both control and courage. He began by steadying the innings alongside Zak Crawley, taking on the anchor’s role while Crawley’s fluent strokeplay kept the scoring rate alive. The pair stitched a crucial stand before Crawley fell for 76 to Neser, a wicket that forced Root to shift gears again and become England’s primary source of runs.
From that point, Root manoeuvred the field with trademark precision, picking gaps, rotating strike, and punishing loose deliveries whenever Australia erred. His innings grew in authority as the day progressed, even as partners came and went around him. England captain Ben Stokes fell after a miscommunication that resulted in a run out—one Root will share responsibility for—while Jamie Smith and others failed to offer meaningful support.
Despite the lack of partnerships, Root stayed composed, ensuring England’s innings didn’t collapse entirely, with his side standing at xxx when he completed his 100. His century snapped a long-running personal drought in Australia, where he had previously played 30 innings without reaching three figures. Before this Brisbane Test, Root had amassed 988 runs in the country at an average of 36.59, with ten fifties and a highest of 89—also at the Gabba in 2021.
