The Ashes 2025: Joe Root's Century Proves All-Time Status and Means Matthew Hayden Can Keep His Clothes On
A century from Joe Root is a milestone in itself, but for England's captain it was also a turning point in the Ashes series. A fully clothed Matthew Hayden, son of Queensland, took the acclaim of his home crowd at the Gabba on the first day of the second Test, while Root delivered when his team and his country needed him.
The first day ended with 5-2 for England, but they had a sniff of a win in Brisbane after Root's 135. This was a moment that toyed with emotions and tested tickers. Root remained calm to deliver a test innings for the ages. With 98 ticked over to 102, grown men leapt into each other's arms and the roar from a lower corner of the Gabba might have been heard in Sheffield.
Root needed only 94 deliveries for his first 61 runs. This was a lesson learned from England's previous defeat in Perth when Root scored an eight-run duck. He went on to hit two sixes off Jofra Archer, who heaving a couple of boundaries was the inspiration for Root to whip out his trademark - a reverse-scoop off Scott Boland.
The turning point came after 18 overs between boundaries. It was only then that Root cut loose and attacked harder towards the end of the day's play. He finished on 135 not out, with England requiring a long way back from the 5-2 deficit.
Despite a poor start to the match, Root showed his class, hitting a single boundary in just his fifth over and a six off Archer later in the day. Only when he passed three figures did he play more aggressively.
Root's century is his first in Australia, and it has given England a chance of regaining the Ashes urn. For Root, this was another milestone in his career as captain and batsman for England. It also marked a turning point in the series after England lost by 135 runs on day one at the Gabba.
For Matthew Hayden, the relief is that he will be able to keep his clothes on. A fully clothed Hayden had been an early focus of attention from Australian fans on social media. However, Root's incredible performance has shifted the spotlight away from Hayden and onto England's captain.
Root's 135 not out marked a new high for him in terms of runs scored in Australia, with the previous best being 72 not out in 2013-14 against New Zealand. The century also took his Test match average in Australia to 32.75.
For Root, this was another example of how he has performed under pressure in the Ashes series. It came after a poor start to the series, with England losing by 135 runs on day one at the Gabba.
However, Root showed his class and led from the front as England fought back to stay in the match. His innings will be remembered for years to come as a highlight of an Ashes series that had seen its fair share of drama.
For Hayden, the relief is clear. He had been facing criticism on social media for being a "cowboy" without his full kit. However, Root's incredible performance has shifted the spotlight away from him and onto England's captain.
It's not just Hayden who will be relieved that Root performed so well. The entire English team was under pressure to respond after their poor start to the series. However, with Root at the helm, they were able to mount a spirited comeback and take the match into the night.
Despite a few wobbles towards the end of the day's play, England went into the close at 211-6, giving them hope that they might still come back from their early deficit. And for Root, his century proved all-time status - not just in Australia but around the world.
A century from Joe Root is a milestone in itself, but for England's captain it was also a turning point in the Ashes series. A fully clothed Matthew Hayden, son of Queensland, took the acclaim of his home crowd at the Gabba on the first day of the second Test, while Root delivered when his team and his country needed him.
The first day ended with 5-2 for England, but they had a sniff of a win in Brisbane after Root's 135. This was a moment that toyed with emotions and tested tickers. Root remained calm to deliver a test innings for the ages. With 98 ticked over to 102, grown men leapt into each other's arms and the roar from a lower corner of the Gabba might have been heard in Sheffield.
Root needed only 94 deliveries for his first 61 runs. This was a lesson learned from England's previous defeat in Perth when Root scored an eight-run duck. He went on to hit two sixes off Jofra Archer, who heaving a couple of boundaries was the inspiration for Root to whip out his trademark - a reverse-scoop off Scott Boland.
The turning point came after 18 overs between boundaries. It was only then that Root cut loose and attacked harder towards the end of the day's play. He finished on 135 not out, with England requiring a long way back from the 5-2 deficit.
Despite a poor start to the match, Root showed his class, hitting a single boundary in just his fifth over and a six off Archer later in the day. Only when he passed three figures did he play more aggressively.
Root's century is his first in Australia, and it has given England a chance of regaining the Ashes urn. For Root, this was another milestone in his career as captain and batsman for England. It also marked a turning point in the series after England lost by 135 runs on day one at the Gabba.
For Matthew Hayden, the relief is that he will be able to keep his clothes on. A fully clothed Hayden had been an early focus of attention from Australian fans on social media. However, Root's incredible performance has shifted the spotlight away from Hayden and onto England's captain.
Root's 135 not out marked a new high for him in terms of runs scored in Australia, with the previous best being 72 not out in 2013-14 against New Zealand. The century also took his Test match average in Australia to 32.75.
For Root, this was another example of how he has performed under pressure in the Ashes series. It came after a poor start to the series, with England losing by 135 runs on day one at the Gabba.
However, Root showed his class and led from the front as England fought back to stay in the match. His innings will be remembered for years to come as a highlight of an Ashes series that had seen its fair share of drama.
For Hayden, the relief is clear. He had been facing criticism on social media for being a "cowboy" without his full kit. However, Root's incredible performance has shifted the spotlight away from him and onto England's captain.
It's not just Hayden who will be relieved that Root performed so well. The entire English team was under pressure to respond after their poor start to the series. However, with Root at the helm, they were able to mount a spirited comeback and take the match into the night.
Despite a few wobbles towards the end of the day's play, England went into the close at 211-6, giving them hope that they might still come back from their early deficit. And for Root, his century proved all-time status - not just in Australia but around the world.
the way Joe Root batted was just class he knew when to take it easy and when to go hard on the opposition 
135 runs is a huge milestone for him and it's insane that he was able to turn the game around like that. his footwork is so silky smooth too 
and I love how he went for those reverse scoops off Scott Boland 
that was such a clever move. as for Matthew Hayden, yeah it's sweet that he can finally relax without all the pressure on him 
but let's be real guys, his outfit was kinda the whole thing at first 
I mean who doesn't love a good meme, right? 
. Don't get me wrong, he's a great batsman and all, but he's had some really big games before this one too 
. I mean, what's so special about him now? He's just playing well in the Ashes, that's it 
. And what about Matthew Hayden? The guy was getting roasted on social media for not having his full kit on 
. It's a classic case of the media hyping him up to save his skin 
. And let's be real, England are still down by 135 runs in this series 
. They've got a long way to go before they can call themselves champions again 
.
his batting skills are insane, especially when he's under pressure. and tbh matthew hayden was getting roasted for not having his full kit on 
i'm literally loving joe root right now!!! 
he's like a superhero with the bat, saving england's bacon and proving himself to be one of the greatest batsmen of all time 
135 not out is incredible, especially considering they were down by 5 wickets at one point. it just goes to show that root has the mental toughness and skill to turn games around 
and let's be real, who needs matthew hayden when joe root is on fire 
? 
, it's moments like these that remind us why he's one of the best batsmen in the game! and can we talk about how relieved matthew hayden must be now? 
anyway, root's century was absolutely epic and it's given england a real chance of winning the ashes. fingers crossed they can pull off an upset! 
️
. I love how he took the game by the scruff of the neck after England were in a hole, showing true leadership skills as captain 
. It's not just about him getting the runs though, it's about how it boosted the team's morale and gave them a fighting chance to win 
. Matthew Hayden's relieved face is also priceless 
He really took it to Australia and showed them who's boss 
135 not out is insane, and that reverse-scoop off Scott Boland was pure magic 
I'm so hyped for England now, they've got a real shot at regaining the urn 
fingers crossed for them 
and then the way he played reverse-scoop from boland 
was pure magic 
his century is giving me all the feels and i think england might actually have a chance at regaining the ashes urn