The Ashes 2025-26: Travis Head hits back after Joe Root makes 160 in Sydney
In this series the root has been feast or famine. Until this Test, his landmark century in Brisbane was one of only two occasions on which he had surpassed 20. In Sydney, where he was dropped for the only time in his Test career and once ended up in hospital in extreme heat, the former skipper put in an outstanding performance.
Without Root, England would have wasted a promising 211-3 on the night. Harry Brook took a loose poke to Scott Boland for 84 and Stokes edged out Mitchell Starc’s finer for an 11-ball duck, meaning the tourists lost 2-3 in four overs.
On the one hand, Smith’s role in the 94-man stand with Root was valuable, but the wicketkeeper was lucky to last so long. He was caught off Cameron Green’s no-ball in the 22nd over, then edged and misdirected the same bowler. It was terrible cricket that Labuschagne’s bouncer plan was denied as the second new ball approached.
By this point Root had gone from his overnight 72 to three figures. After dismissing Neser on 94, he bowled the same bowler to join Australia’s great Ricky Ponting with 41 Test tons – only India’s Sachin Tendulkar and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis have more. In Brisbane he celebrated as well as shrugged.
He went on and added 52 for the seventh wicket with Will Jacks. He passed 150 for the 17th time in Tests; Only four players have achieved more.
Root edged the bowler’s follow-on effort to Neser as part of England’s 4-9 final collapse. It is perhaps no surprise that he suffered back discomfort after England’s knock.
