Joe Root is now the active cricketer with most Test centuries after reaching his 37th hundred in England's match against India at Lord's on Friday, July 11. Both Root and Australia's Steve Smith led the active players with 36 Test centuries prior to this.
In the first match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Root overtook Sachin Tendulkar's record of 1,575 runs to reach the highest run-scorer in India-England Tests on English soil.
Adding to his illustrious Test record, Root also achieved the feat of being the first player to reach 3,000 runs in England vs India Tests. The 34-year-old achieved this in the Lord's Test on Day 1 — a landmark venue where countless iconic performances have been made.
He surpassed the record after scoring 45 runs in his innings, surpassing the great Sachin Tendulkar, who had scored over 2,500 runs in India vs. England matches.
With this century, Root has also become part of the exclusive group of players with the most Test centuries in the game's history:
Sachin Tendulkar – 51
Jacques Kallis – 45
Ricky Ponting – 41
Kumar Sangakkara – 38
Joe Root – 37*
Root carried on Day 2 on 99 not out and had no hesitation in reaching three figures, hitting the very first delivery to the boundary. Having negotiated a trying Day 1, he scored his hundred with calmness and resolve, reaching the milestone in 192 deliveries — a demonstration of sorts of his temperament and control in trying conditions.
In this star form, Root seems set to reach even greater heights as the series progresses. In the case of the current match, England captain Ben Stokes decided to bat first after winning the toss. With the early fall of the openers, Root again emerged from the pack, solidifying the innings. The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series is evenly poised at 1-1.
Read also| Tennis Player Radhika Yadav Shot by Father While She Was Cooking Breakfast
Read also| Gautam Gambhir Fires Back at Virat Kohli over Criticism of BCCI’s Family Rule
