Joe Root is still playing great Test cricket. On Day 3 of the fourth Test against India in Manchester, he hit a really good century.
This century helped Root set a new world record, beating Don Bradman of Australia. Root now has the most Test centuries against one team in home Tests, with nine against India. Bradman had eight against England, which was the previous record.
On Friday, Root passed Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket history. Now, he is trying to catch Sachin Tendulkar, who is still in first place.
During the third day of the fourth Test against India, Root passed Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis in runs scored within eight balls. Then, he passed Ponting, and the crowd at Old Trafford cheered.
Ponting scored 13,378 runs in 168 matches, averaging 51.85. Tendulkar is still in the lead with 15,921 runs.
It was fitting that Ponting was commentating when Root passed him. Root started his Test career in 2012, scoring 73 runs in his first match against India in Nagpur.
Ben Stokes, the England captain, raised his bat to praise Root even before Root took off his helmet, recognizing the crowd’s cheers. Root had already made history by scoring his 12th century against India, the most by anyone against them in 34 Tests.
Last week, Root tied Steve Smith’s record of 11 centuries in the third India-England Test at Lord’s, scoring 104 runs.
In total, the century at Old Trafford was Root’s 38th in Test cricket. He is now tied with Kumar Sangakkara for fourth place on the list of century-makers in Test cricket.
Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45), and Ponting (41) have more centuries than him.