England’s opening day at the Gabba was a rollercoaster shaky, spirited, and, by stumps, surprisingly solid. After opting to bat first, England finished Day 1 on , thanks largely to a masterclass from Joe Root and a fiery spell from Mitchell Starc that almost single-handedly kept Australia on top.

England rocked early, Crawley-Root rebuild

The first-ever pink-ball Ashes Test at the Gabba drew a full house, and fans didn’t have to wait long for drama. Mitchell Starc, with the new ball under lights, ripped through England’s top order. Two wickets in his first couple of overs left England gasping at .

Zak Crawley, coming off a pair in the first Test, finally found rhythm. Along with Root, he weathered the storm and guided England to . Crawley’s 76 was a confident, much-needed knock before h

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