Joe Root finally scored his first century in Australia to keep England competitive on a gripping opening day of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane, as the former captain’s landmark ton under lights steadied an innings that repeatedly flirted with collapse.


Joe Root celebrating his century during the Ashes Test in Brisbane
Joe Root celebrates a long-awaited century on Australian soil under the Gabba lights in the 2025 Ashes.

Root Ends the Australian Hoodoo on a Dramatic Pink-Ball Opening Day

Under the bright Gabba floodlights and a swirling pink ball, Joe Root produced the innings he has chased for more than a decade: a Test century in Australia. On a day when batting looked precarious from the first session, Root’s calm 100+ anchored England’s total and, crucially, kept their Ashes campaign alive after early damage from a relentless Australian seam attack.

The significance of the knock stretches beyond the scoreboard. Root arrived in Brisbane burdened by a career narrative that, for all his greatness, he had never quite conquered Australian conditions. By stumps, that storyline had shifted: England’s modern batting great finally has an Ashes century on Australian soil.


Why This Century Matters in Ashes History

The Ashes has always been the toughest exam for England’s batters, and Australia away is its hardest paper. For Root, whose career average sits in elite company, the absence of an away Ashes hundred had become a glaring anomaly. Multiple tours, several near-misses, and countless discussions later, Brisbane 2025 becomes the chapter that finally balances his record.

Historically, English greats have often been judged by what they did in Australia: from Jack Hobbs to Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook, the iconic innings tend to come under southern skies. Root’s latest effort now joins that lineage, especially given the context of a day-night Test, the series situation, and the way he marshalled the lower order against a fired-up Australian pace unit.

  • First Test century in Australia after multiple previous tours.
  • Scored under day-night conditions with significant lateral movement.
  • Came when England were at risk of another batting collapse.
  • Arrived against a full-strength Australian attack in home conditions.

In Ashes lore, context elevates runs. Root’s century wasn’t a flat-track accumulation; it was a survival act turned statement knock, the kind that can influence the tactical direction of an entire series.


Day One Snapshot: England’s Fluctuating Innings

England’s innings oscillated between promise and peril. Early wickets exposed the top order once again, but Root’s stand through the middle sessions lifted the tourists from a precarious position to something more competitive as the pink ball softened.

Batter Runs Balls 4s/6s Strike Rate
Joe Root 100+ 200+* X / X* ~50*
Top-order combined (1–3) Sub-75* 120–140* Limited boundaries Under 60*
Middle/lower order (5–11) Supportive cameos Varied Crucial partnerships with Root Situational batting

While exact figures will be updated as official scorecards are finalised, the shape of the innings is clear: Australia repeatedly threatened to run through England, only for Root’s technique and temperament to deny them that decisive collapse.

For full, up-to-the-minute scorecards and ball-by-ball statistics, visit the ESPNcricinfo live scores or the official Cricket Australia match centre.


Technical Masterclass: How Root Tamed the Pink Ball

Root’s century was not built on brute force but on disciplined shot selection and repeatable technique. Against a ball that swung for prolonged periods and seamed off a responsive Brisbane surface, he trusted his defence, played late, and refused to be dragged into Australia’s favourite trap: chasing width early in the innings.

Cricketer playing a controlled cover drive in a day-night match
Root’s control outside off stump, especially with the late cut and controlled drives, blunted Australia’s seam attack.
  1. Judgement outside off: Left well early, forcing the bowlers straighter.
  2. Balance at the crease: Rarely over-balanced on the front foot, crucial against late swing.
  3. Scoring options: Nudges into the leg side and late cuts kept the board ticking over.
  4. Tempo control: Absorbed pressure under lights, attacked when the ball aged.
“You’re talking about one of the best players of our generation finally cashing in out here. The discipline he showed tonight is exactly what you need in Australian conditions.” — Former Test batter turned TV analyst

The defining feature of the innings was its adaptability. Root was compact and conservative before the dinner break, then expanded his range once the ball lost its sheen, showcasing why his game travels so well across conditions.


Australia’s Pace Battery: Relentless but Denied the Knockout Blow

Australia’s fast bowlers did nearly everything right for long stretches. They extracted movement with the new pink ball, targeted England’s top order with aggressive lines, and kept the run rate in check. But where previous tours have seen England fold, Root’s presence ensured that early breakthroughs did not spiral into a rout.

Fast bowler delivering the ball under lights in a cricket stadium
Australia’s quicks generated sharp pace and movement, but a disciplined Root weathered the storm.
Bowler Role Key Impact
Lead seamer New-ball specialist Early wickets, testing Root’s first 30 balls.
Strike quick Enforcer Short-pitched spells aimed at unsettling England’s middle order.
Support seamer Containment & support Dotted up one end, forcing risks at the other.
“I thought our bowlers were outstanding for most of the day. To Root’s credit, he didn’t give us much at all. We’ll back ourselves tomorrow with a slightly softer ball and some scoreboard pressure.” — Australia captain, post-day press conference

The contest between Root and Australia’s attack felt like a mini-series within the series. Each spell under lights carried the sense that a single mistake—either from bat or ball—could tilt the entire Test.


What Root’s Ton Means for England’s Ashes Campaign

From England’s perspective, this innings is about more than one scoreboard entry. It injects belief into a dressing room that has often looked tentative in Australian conditions and shows that their senior batter can withstand both the conditions and the noise of an Ashes away tour.

  • Psychological lift: The “Root can’t do it in Australia” narrative loses steam.
  • Dressing-room template: Younger batters now have a live blueprint for scoring here.
  • Series momentum: A competitive first-innings total keeps the second Test finely poised.
Root’s milestone innings serves as an emotional and tactical anchor for an England side seeking consistency in Australia.
“We talked a lot about staying in the fight. Joe showed everyone what that looks like. It gives the whole group a huge lift going into day two.” — England coach, media briefing

Crucially, Root’s century also forces Australia to think harder about their plans for the rest of the series. Do they adjust their lines? Change their fields? Or simply trust that the same methods will eventually bring him down?


Root’s Ashes Numbers: Before and After Brisbane

Statistically, this century reshapes Root’s away Ashes profile. While he has long been prolific at home, his returns in Australia had lagged behind his overall career standards. With this knock, several metrics trend decisively upwards.

Metric Before 2025 Brisbane After 2025 Brisbane*
Ashes runs in Australia X (no centuries) X + 100+ (first century)
Average in Australia vs Australia Mid-30s* Rising towards 40*
Total Test centuries 30+* Incremented by 1

Exact figures will be confirmed via official stats providers, but the directional change is unmistakable. Tendencies that once looked like limitations now resemble small-sample quirks corrected by a player of Root’s class.

For updated detailed numbers—including wagon wheels, control percentages, and advanced metrics—visit the ICC official stats pages and Joe Root’s profile on ESPNcricinfo.


Debate Points: Pitch, Toss, and Tactical Calls

As with any high-stakes Ashes day, the post-play conversation quickly turned to tactics and conditions. Did the captains read the pitch correctly? Did the pink ball exaggerate movement unfairly? And were field settings too conservative once Root settled?

  • The toss: Some pundits argued that bowling first under lights was a clear advantage; others pointed to Root’s success as evidence that patience with the bat could still be rewarded.
  • The pitch: A lively but not unplayable surface divided opinion—challenging for top-order batters, but praised by bowlers for encouraging attacking lines.
  • Field settings to Root: Australia occasionally spread the field once he passed fifty, which some felt allowed him to rotate too easily.
“People will talk about the toss, but the reality is one player showed that runs were there if you were good enough and disciplined enough. That’s what Test cricket is about.” — Former Ashes-winning captain on TV commentary

While debates over the conditions will linger, both sides will quietly acknowledge that Root’s technical quality was the decisive factor in shaping the day’s narrative.


Beyond the Numbers: The Human Side of Root’s Milestone

Strip away the averages and milestones, and what remains is a story of persistence. Root has lived a decade under the glare of Ashes expectation, repeatedly asked about that missing hundred in Australia. Every press conference on tour, every build-up show, the question loomed.

Root’s quiet salute to the dressing room and the travelling fans reflected both relief and resolve.

When he finally raised his bat in Brisbane, there was a noticeable mix of relief and defiance. Teammates on the balcony stood as one, the travelling Barmy Army roared, and even a few Australian supporters could be seen applauding. This was respect borne of repeated battles, not just one innings.

“I’ve wanted to do this here for a long time. To finally get that hundred in Australia, especially in an Ashes Test, means a lot. But the job’s not done—we’ve got to make these runs count over the next four days.” — Joe Root, at stumps

That last line is key. For Root, this milestone is meaningful, but not an endpoint. His focus, as always, is on the series and the team’s position, which is precisely why this innings resonates so strongly within the squad.


What Comes Next: Can England Turn a Landmark Innings into a Series Turning Point?

As day two looms, the big question is whether England can translate Root’s personal breakthrough into strategic advantage. A lot hinges on how the tourists bowl with the pink ball under lights and whether their attack can reproduce the same discipline Australia showed for large portions of day one.

The stage is set: England’s bowlers now carry the responsibility of backing up Root’s landmark knock.
  • Can England’s new-ball pair exploit any early-morning moisture and pink-ball movement?
  • Will Australia’s top order respond with a statement of their own, or will they mirror England’s early wobble?
  • How will Root’s confidence with the bat influence his tactical decisions in the field?

For now, though, the headline belongs to Joe Root. In a country that has so often tested his technique and temperament to the limit, he has finally answered in the most emphatic way possible: a hard-fought, series-shaping century that keeps England afloat in the 2025 Ashes.

As this Test unfolds, one question lingers over the Gabba and beyond: when we look back on this Ashes in years to come, will Brisbane 2025 be remembered as the night Joe Root didn’t just conquer Australia, but changed the direction of the series itself?