Joe Root Scores First Test Century in Australia

BRISBANE, Australia — England's Joe Root achieved a long-awaited milestone on Thursday by scoring his first Test century in Australia, reaching triple figures on the opening day of the second Ashes match at the Gabba.

The 34-year-old batter, who entered his 16th Test Down Under with a career average of more than 13,000 runs—second only to Sachin Tendulkar's total—faced challenging pink-ball conditions under lights. Root came to the crease in the third over after England lost two early wickets for five runs, with Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope dismissed cheaply. He survived a dropped catch on two by Steve Smith off Mitchell Starc at slip, then built a defiant innings to guide his team through difficult phases.

Root reached his half-century off 83 balls and converted it into three figures off 181 deliveries, striking 11 boundaries in the process. His understated celebration involved removing his helmet, kissing the England badge, and raising his bat to the crowd. The knock marked his 40th Test century overall and his fifth against Australia, ending a drought that dated back to 2013. It also pushed him past 1,000 career Test runs in Australia, making him the 16th Englishman to reach...