Earlier, Hayden had humorously promised to sprint naked at the MCG if Root failed to score a hundred in the ongoing Ashes series. Prior to this innings, Root had played fifteen Test matches in Australia without reaching a century, a surprising gap in an otherwise stellar career. After Root’s struggles in the opening Test, there were doubts as to whether he could leave Australian territory again without breaking this drought.
However, the England batsman looked to have an impressive ball on Day 1 of the pink-ball Test at the Gabba, producing a gritty century off 181 balls. Grace shared an Instagram Story shortly after the milestone, captioning the video: “Root, thank you. You saved all our eyes.” The post quickly went viral, helped by her large following and the humorous context of her father’s promise.
Hayden had his own amusing response. Once Root reached 100, Hayden broke into an enthusiastic dance outside the commentary box, adding a light-hearted moment to an already memorable day.
Root’s innings anchored England’s total, helping them surpass 300 for the first time in the series. He remained unbeaten on 138 off 206 balls to guide England to 334 in their first innings, backed by a spirited cameo from No. 11 Jofra Archer (38 off 36). Previously, Zak Crawley also scored 76. Root expertly negotiated challenging spells from Mitchell Starc, who bowled the pink ball.
In reply, Australia scored 378/6, led by Jake Weatherald (72), Marnus Labuschagne (65) and Steven Smith (61). From England, Brydon Carse claimed 3/113 at the end of Day 2, giving Australia a 44-point lead in the second Test in Brisbane.
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