IND vs ENG 5th Test: Joe Root equals Sunil Gavaskar, breaks multiple records in The Oval masterclass vs India
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As chants of "Rooooooot" echoed across the ground, the 34-year-old tucked a delivery towards long leg and scampered back for two, removing his helmet and raising his bat to the dressing room. In an emotional moment, he pulled out a headband and pointed skyward in tribute to Graham Thorpe. His proud parents rose to their feet in admiration from the stands.
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The knock extended Root's dominance over India. His milestone now made it 13 Test hundreds against the visitors, the most by any batter, taking him two clear of Steve Smith's 11.
This also pushed Root past Kumar Sangakkara's tally of 38 Test centuries, putting him behind only Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45), and Ricky Ponting (41) on the all-time list.
IND vs ENG: Josh Tongue on England's 374-run chase, Akash Deep's batting and The Oval pitch
Root also became the first player to cross 6,000 runs in World Test Championship history. Playing his 69th WTC Test, he leads the run charts with 6,000 plus runs, ahead 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 remains unmatched.
His innings came in a pressure situation, with England chasing 374 to seal the series 3-1. After Harry Brook's quickfire 111, Root took charge, frustrating India's depleted seam attack. His fifty came with a push to deep backward square leg, and from there, he kept rotating the strike and finding the gaps with clinical precision.
The batter also equaled Sunil Gavaskar for most Test hundreds against an opponent. Root joined Gavaskar with 13 Test tons against India, and now is only behind Don Bradman's 19 vs England.
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Root's ton was not just another number, it was a reminder of his unmatched ability to rise in big moments, control proceedings under pressure, and etch his name deeper into cricketing history.
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