Joe Root’s legend continues to soar as he notched his 37th Test century on Day 2 of the third Test against India at Lord’s, further cementing his status among cricket’s elite. Overnight unbeaten on 99, Root needed just one delivery to reach his milestone, dispatching a four to secure his eighth Test hundred at the iconic Lord’s ground. At 34, Root stands as England’s leading run-scorer and is the closest contender to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most Test runs globally. Trailing the “Master Blaster” by less than 3,000 runs, Root’s current form suggests it’s only a matter of time before he reaches the summit of Test batting records.
In addition to this landmark century, Root achieved another remarkable feat during his innings—scoring over 3,000 Test runs against a single opponent: India. Among active cricketers, only Steve Smith has surpassed this mark, with 3,417 runs against England, placing him just ahead of Root. This statistic highlights Root’s exceptional ability and affinity for facing the Indian bowling attack, one of the most challenging in world cricket. Among the legendary “Fab Four” batsmen, only Root and Smith have crossed the 3,000-run threshold against a single team, while Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson have yet to reach those numbers, with 2,232 and 1,519 runs against Australia and Pakistan, respectively.
Root’s innings came at a critical juncture when England’s innings was precarious at 44/2, following the swift dismissals of openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley by Nitish Kumar Reddy in the same over. Facing an aggressive and skillful Indian bowling attack, Root showcased exceptional composure and technical mastery in English conditions, turning the tide for England.
His performance at Lord’s reaffirms his stature as a world-class batsman capable of handling immense pressure while accumulating runs consistently. With such milestones being achieved, Joe Root continues to build a compelling case for his place among the greatest Test batsmen of all time.
