The England batter’s first century in Australia quietened several Australian doubters – and spared one high-profile backer a nude lap of the MCG.

Joe Root’s maiden hundred Down Under left former England team-mate Sir Alastair Cook purring: “Even Australia will have to admit he’s a great now.”

While he has amassed more than 13,000 Test runs – only India idol Sachin Tendulkar has more – Root’s lack of a three-figure score in any format in Australia was a major subplot ahead of this Ashes series.

He ended his barren run on the opening day of the second Ashes Test, surviving being dropped on two after England had lurched to five for two to post an unbeaten 135 in a stumps total of 325 for nine.

Darren Lehmann was among those to claim the absence of a century in Australia was a barrier to R

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