Joe Root breaks record with his remarkable 34th Test century, setting a new benchmark for England’s batting legends.
After scoring his 34th Test century, Joe Root is the best batter England has ever produced, says former England captain Michael Vaughan, the country’s most successful cricketer, Root, who is 33 years old, broke Sir Alastair Cook’s record of 33 Test centuries during the second Test match against Sri Lanka at Lord’s this summer. Root is also now just 96 runs short of breaking Cook’s record for the most Test runs by an Englishman: 12,472. Vaughan said: “It’s far from bashing-it’s all about the pure cricketing ability and technique he brings to his shots.
Vaughan also added that Root isn’t just a great player but a wonderful role model and person. Root scored 143 runs in England’s first innings and then added another 103 in the second, helping England set a huge target of 483 for Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka ended day three at 53-2.
Root has scored more Test runs than almost anyone else, with only six players ahead of him. Among them, only Australia’s Ricky Ponting has a better strike rate. Vaughan explained that Root’s ability to score quickly without taking risks is what sets him apart. He said, “The other team always has to put four fielders behind square on the off side because he’s just so good. This leaves gaps everywhere else, and Root takes advantage of that, scoring runs easily.”
Cook, who was England captain when Root debuted in 2012, has seen many of his records broken by Root, who is averaging 60 in 2024. Cook said, “I don’t think anyone else makes scoring runs look as easy as Root does. He’s above the level of other great English batters like Michael Vaughan and Ian Bell.”
Root has scored centuries against seven different countries, including 10 against India and four against Australia, but he has never scored a big hundred in Australia. Vaughan believes that Root will achieve this in the next Ashes series.
Root himself said there’s still a lot more he wants to do in his career. He joked, “It will be nice to have bragging rights when having a beer with Cooky.” Root also mentioned how special it was to share this moment with his family, especially seeing his dad on the stairs as he made his way up after his century.
Also Read: Joe Root’s 34th Century: England’s Greatest Batter Sets New Record!
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