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With England in peril early in their second innings, the pair
shared in an unbeaten 159-run stand at the Gabba that was a
beacon of hope for English fans after two days of being thrashed
by the hosts.
Three years in the test wilderness, Malan was drafted in to
bolster England's faltering top order during the home series
against India and managed to hold on to his spot for the Ashes.
On a baking hot day at the Gabba on Friday, with a belligerent
pace attack launching thunderbolts, Malan felt truly grateful
for his fate.
"I thought I'd never play another test again," said the
34-year-old left-hander, who was 80 not out at stumps.
"I actually said to Rooty when we were on 40 or 50, on similar
scores, I said to him -- the Barmy Army were singing and
what-have-you -- I said to him, 'I've really missed this'.
"I've missed ... someone trying to blow my head off all the time
and then the crowd going and your adrenaline going and then
playing against the best bowlers going around. You know, test
cricket is the pinnacle.
"So to be able to stand out here wearing an England shirt, you
know, so proud to do that.
With Root, who was 86 not out, Malan helped push England to 220
for two, already 73 runs better than the team's paltry first
innings 147.
Still trailing by 58 runs after Australia put 425 on the board
in the morning, Malan and Root have work ahead to help England
set a target their bowlers can defend.
Malan will hope to push on to a second century, four years after
his glorious 140 in Perth during the 2017/18 Ashes, a rare
highlight of England's 4-0 series defeat.
Root, dismissed for a duck in the day one horror show, will look
to notch his 24th ton after breaking new ground for England on
Friday with the most runs in a calendar year.
Reaching 1,541 runs for 2021 at stumps, Root eclipsed former
captain Michael Vaughan's mark of 1,481 set in 2002.
"Joe Root obviously speaks for himself with what he's done in
his career," said Malan.
"Batting with him is great. He takes the pressure off you.
"It's great signs for us as a team that Joe's playing well out
here and leading from the front."
(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Rohith Nair)
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