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

Right. All that drama. At the heart, the veteran batsman guided the ball away through fine leg to notch his long-awaited Test hundred in Australia.

But, then if you know, you know. Consider trying to explain why this was not just warm, uplifting and cleansing, but profoundly significant.

A Milestone Caught in Its Own Light

A man who already possessed 39 hundreds in this rigorous discipline of a sport has now registered his fortieth. But, trace the journey, the artistry, the jags in the road.

There'll, of course, be much discussion stuff to be settled. Has Joe Root finally achieved greatness? Does he now rank among Australian greats?

Yet there exists something more about wanting Root to be great in Australia. This isn't concerning one-upmanship. Any Australian who knows about cricket is well aware Root is a exceptional cricketer.

Root's Hundred as a Solid Anchor

This ton felt important in other ways, not least as something solid in the series for this team, a foothold in the glacier.

Can England secure victory at the Gabba? Uncertain. 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 outstanding one in genuinely tough conditions, an innings that could have saved his team in this series.

It began with the team in deep trouble, and England’s premier batsman coming out at two wickets down for five runs. Root was dropped early in the slips.

The Contrast 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, easy, graceful, watchful. At the other, Brook was batting like a man who urgently requires the bathroom.

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

A Costly Stroke

Do you run towards this danger? Yep. No sighters, no feet. Just a flash of the bat first up.

The delivery to Brook was full-length, the edge clear. There is no scenario where this was a sensible choice.

It was at least novel in its utter failure. We've witnessed England bat in Australia without fluidity. Now Brook gave us the scarecrow, batting without a brain.

Root's Steady Response

Thus one half of this England team persisted in failing, while at the other end Root batted not just for his life, but for everyone else’s too.

Root provided his own subtle correction, a victory for doing your homework, correcting your flaws.

England are still in this series because he did the thing, provided a lesson in what talent truly means.

Will they take twenty wickets? Are they going to learn? It remains to be seen. But Joe Root made a hundred.