Joe Root surpasses Allan Border, Rahul Dravid, on verge of breaking Sachin Tendulkar's long-standing record
Published - 25 Aug 2024, 04:25 PM | Updated - 26 Aug 2024, 11:10 AM
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Former England captain Joe Root achieved a massive milestone with the bat during the first Test of the three-match series against Sri Lanka. Joe Root became the English player with the most fifties in Test cricket and moved to third on the overall list of international batters in the history of Test cricket.
Root scored a gritty half-century during England's second innings at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester on Saturday, August 24. The right-handed batter scored an unbeaten 62 runs off 128 balls, including two boundaries. England chased down a 205-run target with five wickets in hand on Day 4.
Joe Root Surpasses Allan Border and Rahul Dravid In Elite List Of Batters
Joe Root reached his 64th half-century in his Test career. The England batter surpassed Australia's Allan Border and India's Rahul Dravid in most half-centuries in Test cricket. He is behind Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar (68) and West Indies batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul (66) in the elite list of batters.
Most Fifties In Test History:
| S.No | Player | Mat | Inn | Runs | HS | 100s | 50s | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | 200 | 329 | 15,921 | 248* | 51 | 68 | 53.78 |
| 2 | Shivnarine Chanderpaul | 164 | 280 | 11,867 | 203* | 30 | 66 | 51.37 |
| 3 | Joe Root | 144 | 263 | 12,131 | 254 | 32 | 64 | 50.33 |
| 4 | Rahul Dravid | 164 | 286 | 13,288 | 270 | 36 | 63 | 52.31 |
| 5 | Allan Border | 156 | 265 | 11,174 | 205 | 27 | 63 | 50.56 |
The 33-year-old is also chasing another record. Root (10) equaled the England batter's tally in most fifty-plus scores in the fourth innings. The middle-order batter is just behind former England skippers Michael Atherton and Alastair Cook, who each have 11 fifty-plus scores in the fourth innings in Tests.
Root recently became the second England batter after Cook to reach 12,000 Test runs. He has scored 12,131 runs in 144 Tests at an average of 50.33, including 32 centuries. He is in seventh place among leading run-scorers and is expected to surpass Kumar Sangakkara by the end of the ongoing series.
He Is A Phenomenal Player - Joe Root
Speaking to Nasser Hussain and Ian Ward on Sky Sports, Root praised Jamie Smith for his impressive performance in the match. Root highlighted Smith's ability to bat with the lower order and play aggressively when needed.
"I think he is a phenomenal player. I think his glovework has been exceptional as well, and his batting, I think we have seen everything you want from a number seven," Root said.
"He can bat with the tail and take the game on aggressively. In the first innings, in particular, he soaked things up and was able to knock it around and then he can put his foot down when he needed to."
Smith scored his first Test century in the first innings and added 39 crucial runs in the second innings. The wicketkeeper-batter was named 'Player of the Match' for his contributions with the bat. The home team took a 1-0 lead in the ongoing three-match Test series against Sri Lanka.
