New Delhi: Star England batter Joe Root on Saturday etched name in record books of Test cricket after completing his 34th Test century against Sri Lanka on the third day of the second Test at Lord’s.
Inspired by the England No.4 batter’s back-to-back centuries, the hosts posted 251 in the second innings to set Sri Lanka for a challenging target of 483. After scoring 143 in the first innings, Root followed it with 103 in the next to bail his side out from 69 for 3 at one stage.
Root eventually became England’s most centurion in the Test format, surpassing former skipper Alastair Cook’s tally of 33 tons from 2006 to 2018. The Yorkshire batter also has scored the most Test centuries at Lord’s – 7. He bettered the joint-record of Graham Gooch and Michael Vaughan – both have six Test hundreds at ‘Home of Cricket’.
Despite having numerous Test records and reaching major heights of Test cricket, former England Test captain Michael Vaughan feels Root needs a Test century in Australia to complete his decorated resume in the traditional format.
“The only thing that’s missing in his game is that big hundred in Australia. But I can’t imagine he won’t get three figures in the Ashes next year in Australia,” Vaughan told BBC Test Match Special.
A look at Joe Root’s Test centuries country-wise
Root has scored 21 of his 34 Test centuries in England. He has made four three-figure scores in the West Indies, his best record in overseas countries. England’s second most run-getter has registered three centuries each in India and Sri Lanka, two in New Zealand and one in South Africa.
However, the 33-year-old is yet to score a Test hundred in Australia. He has played 14 Tests in his Ashes rival nation from 2013 to 2022, having scored 892 runs in 27 innings at an average of 35.68 with the help of nine half-centuries. His best score of 89 came during the Brisbane Test in the 2021-22 Ashes.
Root has also not scored Test centuries in Bangladesh (four innings), Pakistan (five innings), and United Arab Emirates (six innings).
Joe Root eventually became England’s most centurion in the Test format, surpassing former skipper Alastair Cook’s tally of 33 tons from 2006 to 2018. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
