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Joe Root resumed Day 2 of the fifth Ashes Test on 72 after play was called early on day one, Root continued his push with little trouble in spite of a better bowling effort from Australia. The landmark 41st hundred came off 146 balls on Day 2, underlining Root’s enduring class on the game’s biggest stage. Root’s straight drive off Neser allowed the batters to scamper through for two runs and complete his latest century which had 11 boundaries. It was Root’s second century of the ongoing Ashes series. His first having come in the pink-ball Test in Brisbane.
This was his 24th Test hundred since 2021, more than any other batter in that period. The numbers tell a story of remarkable consistency and longevity. He has been the rock for England over the past so many years. Root’s epic innings was finally ended at 160 from 242 balls when he popped a return catch to Neser, who dived across the pitch to grasp the ball just inches above the ground.
Root made 138 not out in the second test at Brisbane which was his first century in Australia in his four Ashes tours and now he has a red ball century and his current tally of runs for the series is at 394. While his disappointment was evident as he walked from the field, he received a standing ovation from the near-capacity Sydney Cricket Ground in what may be the last tour for Joe Root of a country that had provided his greatest challenges as a batter.
Joe Root is now level with former Australia captain Ricky Ponting on the all-time list of test centurymakers. Only Sachin Tendulker (51) and Jacques Kallis (45) have more. Ponting, whose record Root now matches, amassed 13,378 runs in 168 Tests at an average of 51.85, with 41 centuries and 62 half-centuries.
Root is steadily closing in on 14,000 Test runs. He now has 13,777 runs from 162 matches and 296 innings, averaging an impressive 50.83, and trails only Jacques Kallis (45 centuries) and Sachin Tendulkar (51) on the all-time list. Root is also less than 2000 runs away to go past Sachin Tendulkar and become the leading run getter in the history of Test.
