Joe Root Breaks Unwanted Record Held by Kapil Dev

Introduction

England’s Joe Root has set an unwanted world record during the 2025 Ashes series, previously held by Kapil Dev. After England’s loss to Australia in the Gabba Test, Root’s performance highlighted both personal achievements and team struggles.

Joe Root’s Milestone Century

Despite England’s eight-wicket defeat, Joe Root reached a personal milestone by scoring his maiden century in Australia. He achieved an impressive 138 runs off 206 balls, which helped England post 334 runs in their first innings. This score also established a record for the highest runs by a visiting team in a pink-ball Test in Australia.

Australia’s Dominance

Australia quickly responded with a formidable innings, accumulating 511 runs and gaining a crucial first-innings lead of 177 runs. England’s second innings fell short, scoring only 241 runs, with Root contributing a mere 15 runs. Australia successfully chased down the target of 65 runs in just 10 overs.

Record of Winless Matches

The defeat at the Gabba marked Root’s 16th match in Australia without a victory. This unfortunate record surpasses Kapil Dev’s previous mark of 15 matches without a win in Pakistan, which included 10 draws and five losses. Among visiting players, Daniel Vettori follows with 12 winless games, while Ben Stokes and Dawid Malan tally 11 and 10, respectively.

Root’s Struggles in Australia

Joe Root’s overall performance in Australia indicates a concerning trend, with 14 losses in 16 games. Only James Anderson and Alastair Cook have faced more defeats in foreign conditions, each with 15 losses in Australia. Notably, legends like Jackie Hobbs and Sachin Tendulkar each recorded 14 losses in their Australian tours.

Long Wait for a Century

The century at the Gabba came after 30 innings, marking it as the second-longest wait for a century in a visiting country. Gordon Greenidge holds the longest wait with 32 innings before scoring his century in Australia.

Consistency in Ashes Tours

Since 2013, Root has been a key player in England’s Ashes tours, participating in 16 out of 17 matches. The last time England triumphed in Australia was during the 2011 Sydney Test, where they won the series 3-1. Australia continues to assert its dominance at home, maintaining a strong record against England.

Conclusion

England’s current streak of 17 matches without a win in Australia ties with the records set by Pakistan and the West Indies. With only one match separating them from New Zealand’s record of 18 winless matches, the pressure is mounting on the English team as they seek to reverse their fortunes on Australian soil.