Joe Root continues to shine in Test cricket for England, and on Sunday at The Oval, he added another major milestone to his name. During the fourth day of the fifth Test match against India, Root became the first player ever to reach 6000 runs in the World Test Championship.
Joe Root completes 6000 runs in World Test Championship
This was Root’s 69th WTC Test match, and he had started the second innings needing only 25 runs to cross the mark. He reached the figure by driving a boundary off Mohammed Siraj in the 40th over. He was batting on 24 at that moment.
Root had scored 29 in the first innings. But this second innings knock helped him make history. No other cricketer has scored this many runs in the WTC so far.
Root tops WTC run chart ahead of Smith and Labuschagne
Now standing at 6003 runs in WTC matches, Root has a solid average of 52.61. He is ahead of players like Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, who have 4278 and 4225 runs respectively. His best score in the championship stands at 262.
Root’s numbers against India in the WTC are especially impressive. In 19 matches, he has scored 1885* runs at an average of 60.64. His highest against India is 218, and he already has 8 centuries and 3 fifties in WTC games against them.
Joe Root eyes more records at home against India
Root is not just piling runs in the WTC but also making new home records. He has scored nine centuries in home Tests against India — the most by any batter against one team at home. Don Bradman had eight against England at home, while Steve Smith and Ricky Ponting had seven each against India in Australia.
If Root scores another century in this Test, he’ll become the only player with 24 Test hundreds at home. Right now, he shares the record of 23 with Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, and Mahela Jayawardene.
Century in Oval Test could break another historic mark
Apart from home centuries, Root also has a chance to surpass Jack Hobbs’ long-standing record of scoring 12 Test tons against a single opposition. Hobbs scored 12 hundreds against Australia. Root currently has 12 against India, and another big innings could give him the edge.
The England team, chasing 374 in the second innings, will be hoping that Root plays another memorable knock to help them win the series 3-1.
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