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In the end, even the celebration was ideal, on the field under that strange deep-blue southern sky, amid the chaos of the contest – hyper Baz energy, England’s lower order scything away with reckless abandon at the other end.

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

But, then if you know, you know. Imagine trying to explain why this was more than heartwarming, inspiring and cathartic, but profoundly significant.

An Achievement Frozen in Time

A player who already had thirty-nine tons in this traditional format of a sport has now registered his 40th. Yet, trace the narrative, the skill, the setbacks.

There'll, of course, be a lot of discussion material to be resolved. Is Joe Root finally great? Is he considered great by Australian standards?

Yet there exists something more about wanting Root to be great in Australia. This isn't concerning point-scoring. Every Australian who cares for cricket recognizes Root is a exceptional cricketer.

Root's Hundred as a Sturdy Anchor

Root’s hundred felt meaningful in other ways, not least as something concrete in the series for this team, a handhold in the ice.

Will England triumph at the Gabba? It's unclear. But Joe Root got a hundred. Was Harry Brook's dismissal the poorest shot? Yes. He did.

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

It had to start with the early wickets tumbling, and England’s premier batsman coming out at a dire 5 for 2. A chance was put down early in the slips.

The Dichotomy in the Crease

As the day progressed, England were 175 for three. Two embodiments of elite Yorkshire batting at the crease.

On one side, Root was exuding calm, relaxed, lithe, watchful. Meanwhile, Brook was batting like a man who urgently requires the bathroom.

All the while, a dusk was coming, the shadows creeping across the ground, and the swing maestro preparing for the crucial spell of the day.

A Reckless Choice

Is it wise to challenge this? Yep. No settling in, no feet. Just a reckless waft first up.

The ball to Brook was full, the edge clear. There is no scenario where this was a good choice.

It was, if nothing else, novel in its abjectness. We've witnessed England bat in Australia without fluidity. This was Brook as the scarecrow, batting without a brain.

The Veteran's Silent Answer

And so one half of this England team continued to collapse, while at the other end Root batted with immense resolve, but for the entire innings.

Root provided his own masterful response, a triumph for doing your homework, correcting your flaws.

England are still in this series because he scaled the peak, provided a lesson in what ability ultimately means.

Are they going to bowl Australia out? Will they adapt? It remains to be seen. But Joe Root compiled a hundred.