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Root, who is playing his 151st Test for England these days against New Zealand in Wellington, has 35 centuries and 65 fifties to his name.
Joe Root becomes 4th cricketer to register 100 50+ scores in Tests. (Picture Credit: AFP, AP)
Joe Root has created history on Saturday (December 7) by becoming the first English and fourth batter overall in the world to register 100 50+ scores in Test cricket. The world No. 1 Test batter, who is playing his 151st Test match for the Poms these days in Wellington, achieved the feat by bringing up his 65th Test half-century. Root completed his half-century during the third session of the second day’s play, which is currently underway at the Basin Reserve.
Root, who is England’s all-time leading run scorer in Test cricket, has 35 centuries and 65 fifties to his name in 276 innings of 151 Tests played so far.
Former Indian batter Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for scoring the most 50+ scores in Test cricket. During his 24-year-long international career, Tendulkar played 200 Tests for India and registered 119 50+ scores. He finished his Test career with 51 centuries and 68 half-centuries. In the list of batters with the most 50+ scores in Tests, Tendulkar is followed by Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting. Both Ponting and Kallis crossed the 50-run mark 103 times in Test cricket.
Most 50+ scores in Tests
- Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 119
- Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 103
- Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 103
- Joe Root (England) – 100
- Rahul Dravid (India) – 99
Root scored 262 runs for the English team in the first Test of the three-match series played against Pakistan in Multan from October 7 to 11, but after that he failed to cross the 50-run mark in his next seven Test innings. However, his wait ended on Saturday.
Root came out to bat at No. 4 for the Ben Stokes-led side in the second innings of the ongoing 2nd Test in Wellington and added 95 runs for the fourth wicket with Harry Brook. After scoring a century in the first innings of the ongoing match, Brook scored a half-century in the second. He was sent back to the pavilion by Glenn Phillips after making 55 runs from 61 balls with the help of five fours.
Root, who was batting on 55 runs from 85 balls at the end of 67 overs, needs 83 more runs to complete 1500 Test runs in 2024, and if the right-handed batter manages to cross the 1500-run mark in 2024, then he will become the second player after Ponting to score 1500 Test runs in a calendar year on multiple occasions.
- Location :
Wellington, New Zealand
