Brisbane, December 5, 2025 - Day 2 of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba saw England bowled out for 334, with Joe Root finishing on a magnificent, unbeaten 138. Australia then began their first innings, with Travis Head and Jake Weatherald opening the batting.
England resumed their innings at 325/9, with Root and Jofra Archer extending their tenth-wicket partnership to 70 runs, a record for England at the Gabba. Marnus Labuschagne took a brilliant catch to dismiss Archer for a career-best 38. Mitchell Starc was the pick of the Australian bowlers, finishing with 6/71. Starc also surpassed Wasim Akram to become the most prolific left-arm fast bowler in Test history with 418 wickets.
Australia's innings began cautiously, with Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson bowling the opening overs. There was a significant moment early on when Jamie Smith dropped Travis Head off Archer's bowling. After three maiden overs, Australia accelerated, reaching 36 runs in 9 overs. Jake Weatherald started aggressively, hitting boundaries off Archer and Gus Atkinson. Ben Stokes replaced Jofra Archer in the attack.
Travis Head, known for his aggressive batting, initially played a more subdued role, allowing his opening partner Jake Weatherald to take the initiative. Weatherald attacked the English bowlers, scoring a flurry of boundaries. However, Head soon found his rhythm, hitting Brydon Carse for a four and a six.
Joe Root's performance on Day 1 was the highlight for England, as he scored his first century in Australia. Root's innings was crucial in rescuing England from a precarious position of 5/2 after Mitchell Starc's early strikes. Zak Crawley provided valuable support with a score of 76. Mitchell Starc's six-wicket haul was the standout performance for Australia. He dismissed Ben Duckett for a golden duck and Ollie Pope early in the innings. He also took wickets of Harry Brook and Will Jacks.
At the end of the first session on Day 2, Australia were in a good position, trailing by 277 runs. The pitch at the Gabba appeared to have quickened up as the day progressed, making batting easier once the new ball had softened.
