INCREDIBLE JOE

 

Image Credit – ESPN CricInfo.

Venue – The Gabba, Brisbane [December 4-7, 2025].

Joe Root is one of the finest batsmen of our generation. Be it Test Cricket, ODI Cricket or T20 Cricket, Root has proved himself in every format. A winner of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. The winner of the Ashes and also a part of the victorious test squads in India and South Africa. Root has been a champion player. However, post-pandemic Root has come out like a phoenix, breaking records in Test cricket year after year. Presently he is the second-leading run scorer in the history of Test cricket, with only the great Sachin Tendulkar ahead of him. It appears that it's only a matter of time when he will eclipse the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

But, despite all of this, there was one thing which was hurting him a lot, and that was no test century down under. In the previous 3 tours, he did come close on multiple occasions but failed to get to the 3-digit mark. The critics labelled him as a home-track bully who couldn't score runs in tough conditions. Moreover, the condemnation got even harsher when he failed in the first test at Perth.

As a result, the pressure was huge when the English side reached Brisbane for the day-night test. The press, the critics – everyone was behind him. But this is when Root played one of the finest knocks of his career and silenced all the criticism in style. The visitors were reeling at 5/2 when Joe Root stepped in. The game was on a knife-edge. Starc was bowling fire. Moreover, there was also a catch drop in the very initial stage of his innings of the bowling of Starc. Thus, it can be said that it couldn't have got any tougher. However, it didn't affect Joe Root, who looked determined to script history.

Root batted all day and scored an incredible 138* of 206 deliveries. In an innings which lasted for nearly 6.5 hours, Root hammered 15 boundaries and 1 six, which helped him take his side to a respectable score of 334. It is interesting to note that the wickets kept on falling on the other side, but Root maintained his calm. Moreover, once he got to his 100, he got even more comfortable in batting as he hit a few reverse scoops. The incredible Joe entertained everyone, and the innings was a delight to watch.

But the moment which caught everyone's attention was his celebration after getting to the three figures. It appeared as if a burden had finally come off his shoulders. The champion need not prove anything now. Moreover, Rooty scored a monumental 160 in Sydney as well, as he ended the Ashes down under on a high.

To watch the innings of Joe Root, Click Here.