On a day when England’s batting teetered between promise and panic at the Gabba, Joe Root delivered a masterclass, scoring a long-awaited maiden Test century on Australian soil. His composed 181-ball 100 provided rare stability against a relentless Australian bowling attack featuring Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, and Michael Neser.
Despite intermittent support from teammates, Ben Stokes was dismissed via a run-out, while others offered little resistance. Root ensured England’s innings did not collapse, reaching his century at a vital moment.
The century marked a significant personal milestone for Root. Before this innings, he had played 30 innings in Australia without registering a Test hundred, amassing 988 runs at an average of 36.59, with ten fifties and a highest score of 89 at the Gabba in 2021. Since stepping down as England captain in 2022, Root has enjoyed a prolific phase, scoring over 4,000 runs and 16 centuries, yet a hundred in Australia remained elusive. Ahead of this Ashes series, he had explicitly aimed to correct that record.
With England eyeing their first Ashes series win in Australia since 2011, Root’s breakthrough century comes at a crucial juncture. While it did not erase all the team’s Day 1 struggles, it injected belief, stability, and momentum into a campaign desperately needing direction.
Most innings to maiden Test century in Australia:
Ian Healy – 41 innings
Bob Simpson – 36 innings
Gordon Greenidge / Steve Waugh – 32 innings
Joe Root – 30 innings
