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Ultimately, the moment of celebration was flawless, on the field under that unusual intense blue southern sky, within the tumult of the contest – manic Baz energy, the English lower order scything away death cult-style at the other end.

Right. All that drama. Amidst it all, the former captain eased the ball away to fine leg to complete his first Test hundred in Australia.

However, for those who understand, the significance is clear. Consider trying to explain why this was not just warm, uplifting and cleansing, but quietly epic.

An Achievement Caught in Its Own Light

A batsman who already had 39 tons in this rigorous discipline of a sport has now compiled his fortieth. Yet, trace the narrative, the artistry, the jags in the road.

There will, of course, be plenty of discussion talk to be hashed out. Does this cement Joe Root's greatness? Is he considered great by Australian standards?

But there is something deeper about wanting Root to be great in Australia. This isn't concerning one-upmanship. Any Australian who cares for cricket already knows Root is a exceptional cricketer.

The Captain's Hundred as a Reliable Anchor

This ton felt meaningful in other ways, particularly as something solid in the series for this team, a foothold in the glacier.

Will England triumph at the Gabba? Don’t know. But Joe Root got a hundred. Did Harry Brook produce a disastrous stroke? Yes. He did.

This was not merely a hundred in Australia, but a brilliant one in genuinely tough conditions, an innings that could have saved his team in this series.

It had to start with the wings already falling off, and England’s greatest modern player coming out at a dire 5 for 2. Root was dropped early in the slips.

The Juxtaposition in the Crease

As the day progressed, England were 3/175. Two examples of elite Yorkshire batting at the crease.

On one side, Root was playing his natural game, relaxed, graceful, alert. Meanwhile, Brook was batting like a man who urgently requires the bathroom.

Throughout, a gloom was coming, the shadows creeping across the ground, and the pink ball genius revving up for the crucial spell of the day.

A Damaging Decision

Do you run towards this danger? Yes. No settling in, no feet. Just a reckless waft first up.

The ball to Brook was full-length, the edge clear. There is no world where this was a smart choice.

It was, if nothing else, novel in its complete misjudgment. We have seen England bat in Australia without fluidity. This was Brook as the scarecrow, batting without a brain.

Root's Quiet Response

Therefore one half of this England team kept faltering, while at the other end Root batted not just for his life, but for the entire innings.

He offered his own subtle correction, a success for diligence, addressing your flaws.

The tourists are still in this series because he achieved the milestone, provided a lesson in what ability truly means.

Can they dismiss Australia? Can they evolve? Not sure. But Joe Root compiled a hundred.