Brisbane [Australia], November 4 (ANI): England superstar batter Joe Root finally achieved his long-overdue maiden Test century on Australian soil on Thursday.

Root finally reached the three-figure mark in Australia during the pink-ball Test match against the Aussies and the second Test of the five-match series. 13 years after his Test debut, Root finally achieved the elusive three-figure mark at the Brisbane Cricket Ground in 181 balls, with 11 fours.

Root ended the day with a score of 135* in 202 balls, with 15 fours and a six, at a strike rate of above 66. After reaching his century, the batter accelarated and even pulled off an effortless reverse ramp.

https://x.com/cricketcomau/status/1996531064706126166

This was Root's 40th Test century, and he is just two more tons away from overtaking Australian legend Ricky Ponting (41 centuries) to become the third-highest century-getter in Tests, behind legendary South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis (45) and Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar (51).

Root was heading into the Ashes away from home following a blockbuster Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against India at home, in which he scored 537 runs in nine innings at an average of 67.12, with three centuries and a fifty to his name. Having scored century in almost every major Test cricket centre across the world, at home and in harsh subcontinent conditions, a century in Australia was the missing puzzle from Root's Test legacy, which is getting stronger with each passing match as the batter is already the second-highest run-getter in format with over 13,000-plus runs to his name and is chasing Tendulkar's all-time tally of 15,921 runs and 51 centuries in 200 Tests.

In the first low-scoring Ashes Test at Perth's Optus Stadium, Root endured a poor outing with scores of 0 and 8. Finally, in his 16th Test and 30th inning in Australia, and that too a pink-ball, day and night Test, Root finally got his moment of glory in Australia.

Now in Australia, he has scored 1,035 runs at an average of 38.33, with a century and nine fifties in 16 Tests and 30 innings. Across all Tests, he has scored 13,686 runs at an average of 51.45, with 40 centuries and 66 fifties and best score of 262 after 160 Tests and 291 innings.

Coming to the match, England won the toss and opted to bat first. After Mitchell Starc (6/71) reduced England to 5/2, getting both Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for a duck, Root put on a 117-run stand with Zak Crawley (76 in 93 balls, with 11 fours). Another half-century stand with Harry Brook (31 in 33 balls, with four boundaries) followed.

Australia managed to make inroads in the game courtesy a fine run out from Josh Inglis to remove England skipper Ben Stokes (19) and had England down at 264/9 eventually, with Starc completing his sixth five-wicket haul in pink-ball Tests. But some fine hitting from Root and Jofra Archer (32* in 26 balls, with a four and two sixes) helped England put up 325/9 at the end of day one in 74 overs. (ANI)