Joe Root’s hundred at the SCG was not just another landmark. It placed him alongside Ricky Ponting on 41 Test centuries and moved him within touching distance of Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis. Context gives the number weight. Root has scored 24 of those hundreds since 2021, more than any other batter in that period. This is sustained dominance, not a late-career surge. His 150-plus scores now stretch across seven countries, a marker of adaptability rather than comfort. Yet the century also carried irony.
England were already under pressure in the series, and Root’s brilliance again stood slightly apart from the team’s reality. The SCG innings underlined his place among the greats, but it also highlighted a familiar imbalance. England had a peak performer operating at historic levels, while the collective continued to search for consistency around him.
Why Root’s Brilliance Feels Isolated in This Ashes?
Root’s run-scoring has rarely felt more detached from results. England posted 384, powered by his 160, yet Australia wiped it away inside 34 overs. That gap explains the unease surrounding this Ashes. Root has embraced the attacking freedom of the current setup, striking faster and averaging higher since stepping aside as captain. His method works. The problem is replication. Others are still learning where aggression ends and control begins. When Root dominates, comparisons become unavoidable.
His calm judgement under pressure exposes the errors around him, even when he defends those mistakes publicly. This is not selfish cricket. It is the burden of excellence. Root’s form raises expectations he cannot fulfil alone. Each century becomes both reassurance and indictment like in high stake matches. England know they have a generational batter in full flow. They also know that without matching discipline elsewhere, his runs soften defeats rather than prevent them.
The Jamie Smith Dismissal and Root’s Loyalty
Jamie Smith’s dismissal became a flashpoint because of timing and optics. England were 323 for 5. The second new ball loomed. Smith chose attack and paid the price. Root’s response was instinctive loyalty. He defended the intent, not the outcome, stressing understanding over frustration. This is central to Root’s leadership style. He shields young players publicly, even when logic cuts both ways. His explanation was reasonable. England had seen the second new ball dismantle them earlier.
Opportunity felt present. Yet Root’s own approach during that phase was more measured. That contrast fed debate. Root sees development where others see repetition. He remembers his own early struggles in Australia, including being dropped in 2013-14. That memory shapes his empathy. The risk is that protection delays accountability. Root’s defence came from care, not denial. But England’s challenge is turning understanding into growth before patience runs thin.
Alex Carey’s Quiet Dominance Behind the Stumps
While Root chased batting history, Alex Carey built a different kind of Ashes legacy. His 27 dismissals in the series place him behind only Brad Haddin and Rod Marsh in Ashes history. This was not about spectacular takes alone. It was about consistency. Carey’s work reflected Australia’s control of key phases. He stood up to varied pace, sharp turn, and relentless pressure.
Each dismissal tightened the grip. Wicketkeepers shape series quietly. They turn half-chances into certainty and sustain bowlers through long spells. Carey’s numbers underline Australia’s advantage in execution. While England debated intent, Australia accumulated outcomes. In long series, that difference compounds. Carey’s Ashes may not dominate headlines, but it explains why Australia stayed ahead even when Root threatened to pull England back into contention.
Ben Stokes, Wickets, and the Weight of Captaincy
Ben Stokes has matched Bob Willis with 77 Test wickets as England captain, achieved in just 18 matches. The statistic reflects intent and responsibility. Stokes bowls when impact is needed, often in short, demanding spells. His 40 wickets in opening spells since taking over show how frequently England rely on him to force early breakthroughs.
Yet this Ashes revealed limits. Australia’s batters, particularly Travis Head, absorbed pressure and countered quickly. Stokes’ effort never wavered, but the returns fluctuated. Captaincy has amplified his workload, physical and emotional. He leads from the front, sometimes at cost.
numbers place him among elite company, but they also underline how much England lean on him. When leaders carry too many roles, cracks appear elsewhere. Stokes’ Ashes has been about striving rather than controlling.
Root as Protector, Not Enforcer, of This Team
Root’s greatest strength may also be his constraint. He believes players must own their methods. He offers guidance when asked, not directives. Even now, as England’s second-highest Test run-scorer, he resists imposing his approach as template.
He defended Harry Brook after an unnecessary flourish and excused loose bowling as over-eagerness. This keeps the dressing room united, but unity without correction can stagnate. Root understands this tension. He chooses belief over criticism because he remembers how fragile confidence can be in Australia. His aim is to leave younger players with usable memories, not scars.
Whether that philosophy produces long-term gains remains open. What is clear is Root’s role has evolved. He is no longer captain, yet he remains the team’s emotional anchor. England’s challenge is ensuring that anchor does not become their only point of stability.
What This Ashes Says About Root’s Place in Time?
Root’s SCG century sharpened questions about legacy. He will likely return for the 150th Anniversary Test in 2027. Beyond that, nothing is certain. What is clear is how central he remains. Without Root, England lose runs, but also coherence. His presence covers flaws on and off the field.
That is not sustainable forever. This Ashes has shown both his greatness and England’s dependence. He is producing numbers that belong among the all-time elite, yet doing so within a team still searching for its identity.
History may remember this period as one where Root carried England through transition. Whether that transition leads to renewal or repetition depends on how much the team learns while he is still there. The records will stand regardless. The outcomes will decide how this era is judged.
