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Joe Root sets an unwanted record as he goes winless in 16 Tests in Australia, surpassing Kapil Dev’s long-standing mark for many matches in a rustic and not using a single victory.
News18
England star Joe Root has taken the plaque for one of the unwanted records in cricket from India’s legendary former captain Kapil Dev. As England succumbed to an enormous eight-wicket defeat on the Gabba, Brisbane, Root recorded his sixteenth Test in Australia and not using a win, going past Dev’s record of 15 in Pakistan.
No other cricketer has matched the 2 of them in most matches in a rustic and not using a win. Like Root in Australia, Dev’s personal record in Pakistan was also underwhelming, with 548 runs in 22 innings at a mean of 26.10 to go along with 44 wickets at 40.02 apiece (his second-worst average for any country he played in).
Root’s sixteenth loss was hardly his doing, though.
England, who had suffered a two-day defeat in Perth within the opening Test, were again outclassed on the Gabba. Their batting faltered on the energetic surface, with only a handful of players offering resistance across each innings — certainly one of them was Root, who scored his first Test century down under in the primary innings.
Otherwise, poor shot selection, a failure to regulate to conditions, and a series of misjudgements contributed to England’s downfall. Their bowling lacked discipline as well, particularly with the brand new pink ball, which Australia exploited.
Fielding proved one other stark contrast between the perimeters. England dropped five catches in Australia’s first innings, enabling the hosts to push their total to 511 and construct an important 177-run lead.
Australia, against this, held every opportunity and even converted half-chances, just like the pivotal moment when Josh Inglis ran out Ben Stokes in the primary innings, which shifted momentum heavily toward the house side.
England resumed on 134 for six on the fourth morning, still 43 runs behind, but a determined partnership between Stokes and Will Jacks briefly revived their hopes. The pair adopted a measured approach, neutralising the Australian attack for much of the primary two sessions and eventually edging England right into a modest lead.
Their resistance ended when Michael Neser removed each set batters in quick succession during a decisive spell that earned him a career-best 5 for 42. The ultimate three wickets fell cheaply, leaving Australia with a manageable goal.
Although the hosts lost two wickets within the chase, a belligerent Steve Smith and Jake Weatherald guided them home without alarm. The emphatic finish underlined Australia’s control throughout the match and strengthened their grip on the urn, with Tests in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney still to come back.
Click here so as to add News18 as your selected news source on Google. December 07, 2025, 23:23 IST
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