Manchester, July 25 (UNI) Joe Root carved a golden chapter in the history of Test cricket at Old Trafford today, overtaking not just one but three all-time greats – Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, and Ricky Ponting — in a single day.
With a composed single steered to third man off Anshul Kamboj, Root moved past Ponting’s tally of 13,378 Test runs, becoming the second-highest run-scorer in the format’s history.
It was a performance befitting England’s modern-day batting titan. Root had already crossed the tallies of Dravid (13,288) and Kallis (13,289) earlier in the day, and the moment he overtook Ponting was met with a resounding roar from the Manchester crowd.
The chants of Roooooot echoed through the stands as the England fans acknowledged yet another historic milestone from their beloved No. 4. With only Sachin Tendulkar’s monumental 15,921 runs ahead of him, Root now stands as a giant of the modern game, having left behind some of the finest names the sport has ever produced.
The day also witnessed Root bringing up his 38th Test century, a classy and measured innings reached with a delicate glance to the fine leg boundary. It was a hundred built on patience, shot selection, and characteristic calm, despite facing tricky conditions and a disciplined Indian attack. His celebration was typically modest—raising his bat, removing his helmet, and soaking in the standing ovation as captain and teammates embraced him warmly.
This latest century also elevated Root to joint fourth on the list of most Test hundreds, drawing level with Kumar Sangakkara. He now trails only Tendulkar (51), Kallis (45), and Ponting (41), having moved ahead of both Rahul Dravid and Steven Smith, who have 36 each. The century was also his 23rd in Tests on English soil, a record-equalling feat matched only by Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, and Mahela Jayawardene.
Adding to the records, Root’s hundred against India was his 12th against the subcontinental giants, making him one of only a handful of batsmen in history to score a dozen or more Test centuries against a single opponent. In doing so, he matched the likes of Jack Hobbs and Steven Smith, while coming within touching distance of Don Bradman’s legendary 19 centuries against England and Sunil Gavaskar’s 13 against the West Indies.
In an era dominated by limited-overs formats, Joe Root’s exploits in the longest format of the game serve as a reminder of the enduring beauty and challenge of Test cricket. More than a statistical triumph, it was a testament to technical excellence, mental grit, and unwavering passion for the red-ball game.
For Root, the numbers now speak volumes, but it is the grace with which he achieves them that continues to win hearts.
