England finally witnessed the moment they’ve been chasing for years — Joe Root scoring his first-ever Test hundred in Australia. On Day 1 of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba, Root stood tall amid chaos, guiding England from a shaky 5/2 to a competitive 325/9 at stumps.
Root’s milestone knock changes the narrative
On his fourth Ashes tour, Root produced a masterful unbeaten 135* in the tough day-night conditions. Entering early with the pink ball swinging sharply, the England skipper absorbed the pressure and counter-attacked with remarkable control.
His century — achieved with a delicate flick off Scott Boland — finally ended the long-running criticism that he couldn’t convert in Australian conditions.
Starc dominates early, enters record books
Mitchell Starc was Australia’s wrecking ball, grabbing 6/71 in a fiery spell that made him the most successful left-arm fast bowler in Test cricket, surpassing Wasim Akram’s 414 wickets.
Even after reaching the milestone, Starc remained humble:
“Wasim is still the benchmark. He’s better than me,”
Starc said after moving to 418 wickets.
Starc removed Ben Duckett in his very first over, followed by Ollie Pope shortly after, leaving England rattled in the opening session.
Root–Crawley revival stabilises innings
England avoided a repeat of their Perth collapse thanks to a gritty 117-run partnership between Root and Zak Crawley.
Crawley contributed a composed 76, playing with patience and precision against Australia’s relentless attack.
Jofra Archer’s late surge electrifies the Gabba
The closing moments brought unexpected fireworks.
No. 11 Jofra Archer hammered a lively 32 off 26 deliveries*, smashing two clean sixes.
His unbroken 61-run stand with Root became England’s highest 10th-wicket partnership at the Gabba, lifting the team well past 300 and energising the travelling Barmy Army.
England ended Day 1 with momentum on their side — and Root finally owning a Test century on Australian soil.
