Joe Root smashes highest score against Australia in D/N Tests, tumbles Pakistan batters record

New Delhi: Seasoned batter Joe Root on Friday became the highest individual scorer against Australia in day/night Test matches. Root achieved the landmark on the second day of the second Ashes Test against the Aussies at The Gabba in Brisbane.

This feat was previously held by Pakistan's Asad Shafiq since 2016 who had scored 137 runs but Root overcame the record by scoring unbeaten 138 runs as England folded for 334 in their first innings.

It took as long as nine years for a player to dominate a list that contains very limited names. Meanwhile, Root played an unbeaten knock of 138 runs for England as he saw the wickets of his other teammates topple on regular intervals.

Root leads the elite list of players to have scored maximum runs against Australia in day and night Tests. South Africa's Faf du Plessis also made his mark in this list with his 118 not out in Adelaide back in 2016.

Highest individual score vs Australia in Day/Night Tests

138* - Joe Root, Gabba 2025

137 - Asad Shafiq, Gabba 2016

118* - Faf du Plessis, Adelaide 2016

113 - Yasir Shah, Adelaide 2019

104 - Stephen Cook, Adelaide 2016

This knock of Root comes after he witnessed a lean patch in the Test series as he managed only 8 runs in the first Test. The seasoned veteran faced as many as 206 balls while stitching the longest partnership with Zak Crawley.

Meanwhile, after the English side was bundled out, Australia had lost two wickets for 189 runs in the second session of Day 2. English bowlers managed to scalp the wicket of Travis Head early in the innings for 33 runs while Jake Weatherald was also dismissed by Jofra Archer but only after scoring a valiant 72-run knock.

Marnus Labuschagne and skipper Steven Smith were taking Australia's innings ahead with the hosts trailing by just above 140 odd runs.