AUS vs ENG 2nd Test Day-1: 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 325/9 in 74 overs, 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 5/2.
Zak Crawley, coming off a pair in the first Test, finally found rhythm. Along with Root, he weathered the storm and guided England to 98/2 at Tea. Crawley’s 76 was a confident, much-needed knock before he under-edged a pull straight to the keeper. By Dinner, England were 196/4, still steady but far from safe.
Root holds firm, Starc keeps striking
The final session belonged to both brilliance and chaos. England lost five wickets, yet Australia couldn’t finish the job thanks to a rapid last-wicket partnership between Root and Jofra Archer, 61 runs in no time, which they’ll resume on Day 2.
But the biggest story was Joe Root. The former England captain finally ticked off the one box missing in his glittering career, his first Test century on Australian soil. Under pressure, with wickets falling around him, Root showed composure, class, and grit. He ended the day unbeaten on 135 off pure determination*, answering critics who questioned his future after a quiet first Test.
Starc steals the show with the ball
Mitchell Starc was nothing short of electric. Fresh off a 10-wicket haul in Perth, he delivered yet another spell to remember. Starc finished with 6/71 in 19 overs, striking early, late, and everywhere in between. He’ll walk out tomorrow eyeing a seventh wicket and possibly one of his finest Test performances at home.
Big records and milestones from Day 1
Joe Root scored his first-ever Test century in Australia. He’s now the second Englishman after Maurice Leyland to score a ton on the opening day of a Gabba Test.
Mitchell Starc overtook Wasim Akram to become the highest wicket-taking left-arm pacer in Test cricket.
Steve Smith registered the most catches by any fielder against a single opposition in Test history.
This was only the second home Test since 2012 where Nathan Lyon wasn’t part of Australia’s XI.
What comes next on Day-2?
England will hope Root and Archer squeeze out as many as they can on Day 2 to push past 350, maybe even 375, on a pitch that still has something for both pacers and stroke-makers. Australia, meanwhile, know they let England off the hook and will be desperate to wrap things up early.
