England’s Joe Root has finally done it. On December 4th, 2025, amid the glare of the pink ball at Brisbane’s Gabba, Root raised his bat for his first-ever Test century in Australia—an achievement that’s eluded him through several Ashes campaigns. Anchoring the innings, Root scored a gutsy 128 off 194 balls, showing his mastery just when England needed it most in the 2nd Ashes Test of the 2025/26 series.
Root’s Heroics and England’s Rebuild
It wasn’t smooth sailing for the visitors after Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bat first. England quickly slumped to 5/2, thanks to Australian paceman Mitchell Starc’s lightning spell. But Zak Crawley punched in a valuable 76 runs, forging a key partnership with Root to stabilize the innings. England’s all-time leading run-scorer then took charge, seeing off the Aussie pacers under the lights—a time that’s historically haunted touring sides in Brisbane’s notorious day-night Tests.
Not to be overshadowed was Jofra Archer, whose quick 28 off just 19 balls partnered with Root for a crucial 50-run stand for the 10th wicket. That late flurry peppered the boundary, including Root reverse-sweeping Scott Boland for six—a shot that electrified the final session and ensured England closed the day strong. The Three Lions ended Day 1 at 196-4 ahead of the final session, with hopes buoyed but not out of the woods yet.
Starc Breaks World Record Amid England’s Resistance
Mitchell Starc wasn’t letting history slip by unnoticed either. His third wicket—removing Will Jacks for 19—pushed him past the legendary Wasim Akram for the most Test wickets by a left-arm seamer in the format’s history. Starc’s early double-strike set the tone, sending a warning shot to the English order. As the Gabba’s pink glow faded, it’s clear that Starc remains the king of the night session, having tormented countless batters under lights.
With Australia leading 1-0 in the series after taking the first Test, England’s spirited performance—built around Root’s milestone—has set up a riveting weekend at the Gabba. Whether this hundred propels Root into the pantheon alongside the likes of Jack Hobbs remains up for debate, but today, he’s firmly written himself into the annals of Ashes history.
