After 36 long years! Joe Root breaks Kapil Dev’s unwanted record

England batter Joe Root has set an unwanted world record previously held by Kapil Dev after England's loss to Australia in the Gabba Test. Despite scoring his first century in Australia, England suffered an eight-wicket defeat, putting them 2-0 down in the 2025 Ashes series.

Root achieved a significant personal milestone by scoring his maiden century on Australian soil. His unbeaten 138 off 206 balls helped England post 334 in the first innings, setting a record for the highest score by a visiting team in a pink-ball Test in Australia.


The celebration was brief as Australia responded with a commanding performance. The hosts amassed 511 runs, establishing a substantial first-innings lead of 177 runs. England's second innings yielded only 241 runs, with Root contributing just 15. Australia easily chased down the target of 65 runs in 10 overs.

The Gabba defeat marked Root's 16th match in Australia without a victory, setting a new record for most matches played in an away country without a win. This surpassed Kapil Dev's previous record of 15 matches without a win in Pakistan, where he had 10 draws and five losses.

Among visiting players in Australia, Daniel Vettori holds the second position with 12 winless games, followed by Ben Stokes with 11 and Dawid Malan with 10.

Root's record in Australia shows 14 losses in 16 games. Only James Anderson and Alastair Cook have experienced more defeats in an away country, with 15 losses each in Australia. Jackie Hobbs and Sachin Tendulkar both recorded 14 losses in Australia.

The century at Gabba came in Root's 30th innings in Australia, making it the second-longest wait for a century in a visiting country. Gordon Greenidge holds the record with 32 innings in Australia before scoring a century.

Root has been a constant presence in England's Ashes tours since 2013, participating in 16 out of 17 matches. England's last victory in Australia came during the 2011 Sydney Test, where they won the Ashes 3-1.

Australia have maintained their dominance at home while managing drawn series in England in 2019 and 2023.

England's current streak of 17 matches without a win in Australia equals that of Pakistan (1955-present) and West Indies (1997-2024). They are just one match behind New Zealand's record of 18 winless matches (1985-2011) in Australia.


Get an chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India's Biggest Habit Index! Take the survey here