England’s hopes within the ongoing Ashes 2025-26 obtained an enormous increase in Brisbane as Joe Root lastly ended the one factor lacking from his sensible profession—a Check century in Australia. Joe Root stepped up and performed an outstanding innings throughout a really tough section on the Gabba.
The circumstances have been powerful from the beginning on the Gabba within the second Ashes Check between Australia and India. Mitchell Starc was in elegant kind with the pink ball, and as soon as the lights got here on, the ball began swinging and bouncing sharply on Day 1 at The Gabba.
Joe Root revives England’s Ashes 2025-26 hopes in Australia
England was in serious trouble at 5/2 after Starc eliminated Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for geese. Root walked in with strain already sky-high. The previous England captain had already arrived in Australia with the strain of not scoring a Check century Down Below regardless of all his achievements.
Your each day dose of cricket!
Learn Additionally: Mitchell Starc overtakes Wasim Akram as most profitable left-arm Check pacer
After which failures in each innings within the Ashes 2025-26 opener in Perth, together with a duck, solely made the criticism louder. For a participant of Root’s class, going 16 exams in Australia with out a century was stunning and even a little bit embarrassing.
However in his sixteenth Check in Australia, Root lastly ended that Check century drought in model after 12 years. He stayed calm whilst wickets fell round him and as Australia’s bowlers saved pushing him with powerful spells. Cameron Inexperienced troubled him with bounce.
Joe Root ends 12-year wait, smashes maiden Check century in Australia
Then again, Starc saved attacking him with tempo, and each run got here with strain. Even Root additionally had nervous moments within the 90s, however he remained for his crew. He constructed a match-changing 117-run partnership with Zak Crawley, whose regular 76 helped England settle.
After Crawley fell, Root stitched a 54-run partnership with Harry Brook after which obtained some assist from Ben Stokes. Nevertheless it was Root who saved the scoreboard transferring for many of the innings. Root scored his maiden Check century on Australian soil after 181 balls.
It was his first ever in Australia, his fifth in opposition to Australia general, and the fortieth of his Check profession. It additionally got here after 30 makes an attempt to attain 100 in an away Ashes Check.
Learn Additionally: Irfan Pathan blames Ravindra Jadeja’s lack of urgency for India’s 4-wicket loss to South Africa
Joe Root creates historical past at The Gabba after ending 12-year curse
His persistence, self-discipline, and sophistication not solely helped England combat again strongly within the ongoing Day-Evening Check in opposition to Australia at The Gabba but in addition helped Joe Root script the historical past.
With this knock, Root grew to become the primary batter to attain 22 centuries within the ICC World Check Championship. Steve Smith sits on the second spot with 13 centuries adopted by Marnus Labuschagne with 11 tons within the WTC.
Moreover, Root turns into England’s undisputed king of centuries after reaching his 59th worldwide hundred along with his newest ton on the Gabba. He’s now England’s main century maker in worldwide cricket. Root now sits far forward of Alastair Cook dinner (38), Kevin Pietersen (32), Graham Gooch (28), and Andrew Strauss (27) on this elite checklist.
Properly, Root stays unbeaten on 135 off 202 balls, studded with 15 boundaries and one six, and pushed England to 325/9 on the stumps on Day 1 of the continuing second Ashes Check in opposition to Australia at The Gabba. Starc shined with a six-wicket haul on the opening day with the pink ball.
