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Finally, the moment of celebration was ideal, under lights under that unique intense blue southern sky, amid the chaos of the contest – hyper Baz energy, England’s lower order scything away in a do-or-die manner at the other end.

So yeah. All that stuff. Amidst it all, the former captain guided the ball away to fine leg to secure his first Test hundred in Australia.

Yet, the true meaning resonates with those who have followed the journey. Imagine trying to explain the reason this was more than heartwarming, inspiring and cleansing, but subtly monumental.

A Milestone Frozen in Its Own Light

A man who already had thirty-nine hundreds in this traditional format of a sport has now scored his 40th. But, consider the narrative, the craft, the setbacks.

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

But there is something further about wishing for Root to be great in Australia. It’s not about one-upmanship. Any Australian who knows about cricket already knows Root is a exceptional cricketer.

The Captain's Hundred as a Sturdy Anchor

This ton felt important 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? Uncertain. But Joe Root got a hundred. Did Harry Brook produce a disastrous stroke? Yes. He did.

And not just a hundred in Australia, but a brilliant one in authentically tough conditions, an innings that may have saved his team in this series.

It began with the early wickets tumbling, and England’s premier batsman coming out at two wickets down for five runs. A chance was put down early in the slips.

The Dichotomy in the Crease

By mid-afternoon, England were in a reasonable position. Two versions of elite Yorkshire grit at the crease.

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

All the while, a darkness was coming, the shadows creeping across the ground, and the swing maestro building up for the pivotal spell of the day.

A Costly Choice

Do you run towards this danger? Yes. No sighters, no feet. Just throw the hands at it first up.

The delivery to Brook was full, the edge thick. There is no world where this was a sensible choice.

It was, if nothing else, novel in its complete misjudgment. We have seen England bat in Australia like the Tin Man. Now Brook gave us the scarecrow, batting without a brain.

Root's Steady Answer

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 delivered his own quiet rebuke, a victory for diligence, addressing your flaws.

The tourists are still in this series because he did the thing, provided a lesson in what ability in the end means.

Will they take twenty wickets? Can they evolve? Uncertain. But Joe Root did score a hundred.