"They do have character" - Sir Alastair Cook lauds Joe Root & co. after mighty Gabba fightback in Ashes 2021

Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook was all praise for his successor Joe Root and his team for their valiant fightback in the first Ashes 2021 Test at the Gabba. Cook said it was all "doom and gloom" after the first two days of the match, but the visitors stood true to Root's pre-series words, showing "they do have character".

Despite getting Australia's lower order out cheaply, England started their second innings on Friday 278 runs behind Australia. Openers Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed failed once again, but Joe Root and Dawid Malan dug in for a near-flawless, unbeaten 159-run partnership to end the day on a high.

Speaking to BT Sport after the day's play, Cook said:

"It was just the day England needed and the tour needed. Everyone was saying England were going to lose at Brisbane again and that it was all doom and gloom - but Root, on day one, said this side had character and they do have character. They were brilliant with the ball in terms of effort and the character Root and Malan showed with the bat was fantastic. The momentum is slowly shifting towards England."

Joe Root scored 86, looking unperturbed in almost each of the 158 deliveries he faced. Malan, meanwhile, rode his luck a bit, especially against off-spinner Nathan Lyon. But apart from that he looked solid for his 80 runs off 177 balls.

Former England and Kent batter Rob Key said after stumps that if Joe Root can eke out his purple patch in this Ashes, he'll join the likes of Ricky Ponting and Brian Lara as batting greats. Key told Sky Sports News:

"Our captain is such a good player, one of our greatest-ever cricketers. If he can do it in this series, that sends him into the completely elite level with the Pontings, the Laras and all that lot. He has started so well."

Key's rich acclaim came as Joe Root broke Michael Vaughan's record of most runs by an Englishman in a calendar year. With two more Tests to go in 2021, Root already has 1541 runs to his name. If he continues with the same gumption, he might also break Mohammad Yousuf's 15-year-old record of 1788 runs.

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"Joe Root always seems to find a way of putting the pressure back on the bowlers" - Dawid Malan

Malan, who had the best seat in the house to witness Joe Root's knock, lauded the 30-year-old's versatility and ability to take the pressure off of his teammates and put it back on the opposition bowlers. Malan said:

"Batting with Root is great. He takes the pressure off you and always looks to score. He always seems to find a way of putting the pressure back on the bowlers. His method works everywhere he plays. For him to carry on the form he had this year [in the subcontinent in the winter and then at home in England] has been fantastic. It's great signs for us as a team that he is playing well and leading from the front."

When play resumes at 5:30 IST tomorrow, Joe Root will need just 14 runs to become only the fifth batter in Test history to score seven hundreds in a year.