Joe

Joe Root Picture Credit: ECB

England created history on Tuesday as the Ben Stokes-led team beat India in the fifth rescheduled Test by seven wickets. Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow notched up a 269*-run partnership for the fourth wicket in the chase of 378. Both the batters scored centuries and took England over the line in a must-win game.

Root was once again clinical in his knock of 142* (173) as he scored 19 boundaries and one six. While Bairstow was the aggressor on Day 4, Joe Root upped the ante on Day 5 to ensure England don’t falter from a winning position. The England batter was also named the Player of the Series for amassing 737 runs from five matches with the help of four centuries.

With Root consistently scoring runs in the longest format of the game even after stepping down from captaincy, the batter was asked how he manages to keep calm. To this, Joe Root had a four-word reply ready. The former England captain said, “Simple. I love batting”.

Root on road to greatness!

The 31-year-old Yorkshire cricketer is piling up runs in the longest format of the game with sheer ease. Before this match against India, Joe Root finished the three-match Test series against New Zealand as the highest run-getter for England. In three matches, the English batter scored 396 runs at an average of 99. Root scored two centuries in that series.

With 29 Test centuries, Joe Root now has the most hundreds among active Test players. He pipped India’s Virat Kohli and Steve Smith who are joint second on the list with 27 centuries. Interestingly, Joe Root had 17 Test centuries at the start of 2021.

With his century in the second innings of England vs India 5th Test, Joe Root also became the batter with most tons (9) against India in Test cricket. Root went past batting greats like Viv Richards, Gary Sobers, Ricky Ponting, and Steven Smith who have 8 Test Centuries against India.