The pressure on Joe Root has intensified after the world's No.1 Test batsman produced a double failure in the Ashes series opener in Perth.
Just a day after departing for a seven-ball duck at the hands of Mitchell Starc, Root fell again to the Australian pace ace on Saturday, this time for a meagre eight off 11 deliveries.
Root stood at the crease in disbelief after chopping onto his stumps, with his dismissal reducing England to 5-76 in their second innings and capping off a remarkable collapse of 3-0.
The ICC Test batter rankings have Root justifiably sitting on top, with his remarkable past 18 months showing why he is considered as one of England's greatest ever players.
But he is yet to score a century in 29 Test innings in Australia, and his average of 33.33 Down Under is in stark contrast to his career average of 50.94.
The 34-year-old, who has 39 Test centuries to his name, still has four more Tests to right the wrongs of his Australian failures.
But his poor performances in Perth means the pressure will be intense when he steps out onto the Gabba for the second Test.
Before the Ashes series started, England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith was adamant Root wasn't irked by the fact he hadn't posted a ton in Australia.
"To be honest I haven't felt it has grated on him at all," Smith said.
"Really, his record in the last couple of years and across his career has been amazing. There's no denying that.
"I think that (scoring a century here) would be just like a tiny thing – that if he can come away with 100, he'd feel great."
