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The cricketing world turned its gaze towards Perth as the Ashes 2025-26 kicked off with high drama, intensity, and, for England, bitter disappointment in the opening session. Joe Root, one of England’s premier batters and leaders, suffered a humiliating start to the series, succumbing to Mitchell Starc without troubling the scorers. On a lively Western Australian pitch offering bounce and lateral movement, Root’s wicket fell when England were already reeling at 39/2.
Ashes 2015-26: Mitchell Starc dismisses Joe Root for a duck in the opening session of Perth Test
Starc, renowned for his early Ashes breakthroughs, produced a textbook dismissal in his fifth over. After setting up Root by consistently holding a wide line through his spell, Starc injected extra venom, firing a 142.8kph delivery angled at Root’s eyeline. The ball kissed the splice, deviated slightly, and Root was ‘turned inside-out’ as he snicked off to third slip, safely pouched by Marnus Labuschagne. With this wicket, Starc notched his 100th Ashes scalp, cementing his legacy as one of the modern Ashes greats. Root’s brief vigil ended at seven deliveries, a duck that left England 39/3.
Root’s dismissal sent social media into a frenzy. Fans trolled the former captain mercilessly, questioning his approach and mental preparedness for the high-pressure opener. The ‘7-ball duck’ trended across platforms, with memes and pointed commentary illustrating the depth of England supporters’ disappointment. For Root, one of Test cricket’s most prolific run-getters, this was a nightmare start to a critical Ashes tour.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Joe Root missed his first century in Australia by just 100 runs.
— TukTuk Academy (@TukTuk_Academy)
Mitchell Starc to Joe root 🤣
— Homie (@homelander_yyy)
Test Centuries in Australia –
Virat Kohli – 7
Joe Root – 0
Cricket lovers consider him one of the greatest Test Batters ever just because he has farmed centuries on England's flat track .
— Sohel. (@SohelVkf)
39 for 3 with Joe Root being the 3rd.
Superb start from Australia and what a show Starc is putting on.🔥🔥
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99)
Joe Root continues to fail in Australia.
OVERRATED FLAT TRACK BULLY.
— Bunny of Cummins (@Cricket_fan0123)
Joe Root gone for duck
That one guy in Mumbai right now:
— Aman_Chain 🏳️ (@Amanprabhat9)
Joe Root gone for duck 😹
— Gagan🇮🇳 (@1no_aalsi_)
Joe Root and Zak Crawley right now.
😂😂— MEHRA (@DevMehra790)
Joe root is gonna make us cry 😭
— Stumper (@TheStumpStory)
So Joe Root gave tribute to Ms dhoni Today? By playing 0(7)?
— Ripper🧛 (@RitikSharmaaa)
Mitchell Starc dominates first session of the Perth Test
Starc was the clear hero as Australia stifled English hopes early on Day 1. Returning with figures of 3 wickets for just 24 runs in his first eight overs, Starc’s impact was felt not just by Root but by the entire English top order. Zak Crawley fell in the opening over, snicking off for a six-ball duck. Ben Duckett, after a brisk 21-run start, was trapped lbw by another Starc missile, while Ollie Pope offered resistance before being removed lbw by Cameron Green after an unsuccessful DRS review.
By lunch, England’s scorecard told a story of struggle: 105/4 in 23 overs, with only Pope (46) showing notable defiance. Harry Brook remained unbeaten on 28, while skipper Ben Stokes was just finding his feet at 4 not out. Starc’s speed, precision, and psychological edge were evident, producing a one-man show that left England on the back foot before the end of the first session.
Australia’s bowling strategy was aggressive and relentless, with Scott Boland providing support and Green and Nathan Lyon tightening the screws. The fall of wickets at regular intervals reflected the bowlers’ discipline and tactical nous, while England’s review gambles on Duckett and Pope were both unsuccessfully struck down.
