Joe Root scored an unbeaten 135 off 202 deliveries on the opening day of the Gabba Test match on Thursday to silence criticism on his lack of a three-figure mark Down Under until now.

Australian newspapers called the second-highest run getter in Test cricket 'Average Joe', given his tendency to flatter to deceive in the longest format in the country.

His previous best score in Australia was a hard-fought 89 in Brisbane way back in 2021. In that series, he was caught behind the stumps on eight instances, and the Three Lions had lost the summer by 0-4.

It would have been understandable if that history weighed on Root when he came to the middle of the Gabba on Thursday, with England teetering at five for two following an early double-strike with the pink ball from Starc.

Root's innings wa

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