Joe Root, England's most successful batter, finally ended his long and remarkable drought on Australian soil by registering his maiden Test century in the country. This monumental innings, his 40th in Test cricket, came during the crucial second Ashes Test—a pink-ball, day-night fixture starting on December 4th. Root's achievement is particularly significant as he had waited 12 years, played on seven different grounds, and gone through 46 innings, recording 13 half-centuries but never reaching the three-figure mark across all three formats (Tests, ODIs, T20s) in Australia.The stage for this historic performance was set under immense pressure. The English side faced a catastrophic start, losing two wickets for just five runs within the first three overs. Stepping into a crisis situation, the experienced batter displayed exceptional resilience and patience.

Root formed a vital 117-run partnership for the third wicket with opener Zak Crawley. Even after Crawley departed for a well-made 76, Root remained resolute at the crease. He witnessed the dismissal of several partners, including Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, and Will Jacks, yet maintained his focus, steadily moving towards his personal milestone.The pressure intensified as he approached 100, with Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey adopting a 'short-keeping' position to create further anxiety. However, the veteran batter was unfazed. He secured the century by gently guiding a delivery from Scott Boland to the fine-leg boundary. The celebratory knock involved 11 fours and came off 181 balls.With this 40th Test century, Root inches closer to the legendary Australian Ricky Ponting's record of 41 Test hundreds, further cementing his place among the all-time greats.