Joe Root scores first Ashes century in Australia

Joe Root has finally broken one of the most debated barriers of his career scoring his maiden Test century on Australian soil. For more than a decade, Root has been acknowledged as one of the finest batsmen of the modern era, but Australia remained the one place where he couldn’t convert his starts into triple figures. That narrative changed in Brisbane, where Root produced a masterclass of composure and technique to bring up a landmark hundred in the second Test of the 2025–26 Ashes series.

What made this century special was not just the weight of history but the circumstances in which it was achieved. England were reeling from early wickets on a lively Gabba pitch, a venue known for unsettling even the most experienced batters. Root walked in with pressure already mounting and responded in the way great players often do—by slowing down the game, reading the conditions, and crafting an innings built on patience, timing, and exquisite footwork. Every drive, flick, and late cut showed a batter fully in control of his craft, unfazed by the bounce, the crowds, or the Australian pace attack.

For years, Root’s record in Australia has been a talking point. Before this knock, he had played multiple tours Down Under with several half-centuries but no three-figure score—a surprising gap in an otherwise prolific Test career. Critics viewed it as the one missing piece preventing Root from being placed alongside the all-time greats. With this century, he has finally closed that chapter. The innings represents far more than statistics; it symbolizes perseverance, growth, and the ability to conquer a challenge that had persisted throughout his career.

The hundred also arrives at a crucial time for England. In an Ashes series played in hostile conditions, a confident and in-form Root can shift momentum and strengthen England’s batting core. His presence at the crease has always brought stability, and this century sends a message to Australia that England’s premier batsman has truly arrived on their turf. It also injects belief into a squad seeking to reclaim Ashes pride in one of cricket’s toughest away tours.

For Root personally, the milestone enhances an already extraordinary legacy. He now stands as a player who has scored hundreds in every major cricketing nation, proving his adaptability and brilliance across conditions. This long-awaited century in Australia will be remembered not only for ending a drought but for reinforcing who Joe Root is—one of the finest Test batsmen of his generation, a player defined not by failures but by the determination to overcome them.