IND vs ENG 5th Test: Joe Root equals Sunil Gavaskar, breaks multiple records in The Oval masterclass vs India | Cricket News

Joe Root of England celebrates scoring his 100 sporting a headscarf in reminiscence of Graham Thorpe throughout day 4 of the Fifth Test vs India at The Oval (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Joe Root delivered one more batting masterclass to carry up his thirty ninth Test hundred, additional cementing his standing as one of many biggest to grace the format. On Day 4 of the fifth and ultimate Test in opposition to India at The Oval, Root reached the milestone off 137 balls, serving to England shut in on a series-clinching victory. As chants of “Rooooooot” echoed throughout the bottom, the 34-year-old tucked a supply in direction of lengthy leg and scampered again for 2, eradicating his helmet and elevating his bat to the dressing room. In an emotional second, he pulled out a headscarf and pointed skyward in tribute to Graham Thorpe. His proud dad and mom rose to their ft in admiration from the stands.

The knock prolonged Root’s dominance over India. His milestone now made it 13 Test a whole lot in opposition to the guests, essentially the most by any batter, taking him two away from Steve Smith’s 11. This additionally pushed Root previous Kumar Sangakkara’s tally of 38 Test centuries, placing him behind solely Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45), and Ricky Ponting (41) on the all-time listing. Root additionally turned the primary participant to cross 6,000 runs in World Test Championship historical past. Playing his 69th WTC Test, he leads the run charts with 6,000 plus runs, forward of Smith (4,278), Labuschagne (4,225), Stokes (3,616), and Head (3,300). With 21 centuries and 23 fifties in the cycle, his consistency stays unmatched. His innings got here in a stress state of affairs, with England chasing 374 to seal the collection 3-1. After Harry Brook’s quickfire 111, Root took cost, irritating India’s depleted seam assault. His fifty got here with a push to deep backward sq. leg, and from there, he saved rotating the strike and discovering the gaps with scientific precision.The batter additionally equaled Sunil Gavaskar for many Test a whole lot in opposition to an opponent. Root joined Gavaskar with 13 Test tons in opposition to India, and now could be solely behind Don Bradman’s 19 vs England. Additionally, that is Root’s sixteenth hundred in opposition to India in International cricket, the joint-most alongside Steven Smith.Most Test a whole lot in opposition to an opponent

Moreover, his hundred solely added to the listing of particular person milestones this collection. Root’s 100 now signifies that there have been 21 particular person a whole lot in this five-Test collection, degree with the most-ever in a collection, which earlier belonged to Australia in West Indies in 1955.

Root’s ton was not simply one other quantity, it was a reminder of his unmatched capacity to rise in massive moments, management proceedings underneath stress, and etch his title deeper into cricketing historical past.Root’s wicket was lastly claimed by Prasidh Krishna, in the ultimate ball of the 73rd over. His 105 runs in this important Test have all however handed England that ultimate push to clinch a collection win.