Joe Root, England’s prolific batter, continues to break records and marks his place among cricket’s greats. In the recently concluded first Test match against Sri Lanka, Root’s unbeaten 62 not only guided England to win but also made him the English player with the most fifties in Test cricket.
With 64 half-centuries to his name, Root is now third on the all-time list. He is closing in on legends like Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Sachin Tendulkar.
BET NOW: Exclusive sign-up offers and bonuses when you bet on sporting action
In the match against Sri Lanka, Root's calm and composed innings of 62 runs in the second innings helped England in successfully chasing the target of 205 runs. Manchester has been a special venue for Root. With his latest half-century, Root now has eight fifty-plus scores at this ground, the most by any player in Test cricket.
Closing in on Sachin Tendulkar’s record
With 64 fifties, Root is now just four behind Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 68 half-centuries in Test cricket. Tendulkar, who is considered one of the greatest batsmen of all time, played 200 Test matches for India.
Root, with 144 matches, is quickly closing in on this record. This shows his longevity and consistency in the longest format of the game.
List of players with most fifties in Test cricket
| Player | Mat | 50s |
|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | 200 | 68 |
| Shivnarine Chanderpaul | 164 | 66 |
| Joe Root | 144 | 64 |
| Allan Border | 156 | 63 |
| Rahul Dravid | 164 | 63 |
| Ricky Ponting | 168 | 62 |
| Jacques Kallis | 166 | 58 |
| Sir Alastair Cook | 161 | 57 |
| VVS Laxman | 134 | 56 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 134 | 52 |
As Root continues to add to his tally of fifties, the cricketing world will be watching closely. Breaking Tendulkar’s record would be a remarkable achievement and further cement Root’s legacy as one of the modern greats of the game. With his current form, it seems only a matter of time before Root surpasses this milestone.