Joe Root has set a new record at Lord’s Cricket Ground by becoming the highest run-scorer across all formats, accumulating 2526 runs in 33 matches at the venue, surpassing Graham Gooch’s previous record of 2513 runs. During the ongoing Test match against India, Root also became the first player to score 3000 runs against India in Test cricket and reached his 103rd fifty-plus score in Tests.Root’s achievement of 103 fifty-plus scores, including 36 centuries and 67 fifties, puts him in joint second place alongside Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting on the all-time list. Only Sachin Tendulkar leads with 119 fifty-plus scores in Test matches.The former England captain now has 3054 runs in 33 Tests against India, including 10 centuries. He joins Gary Sobers and Sachin Tendulkar as the only batters to score over 3000 runs in a non-Ashes Test rivalry.Root is approaching another milestone, as a century in his current innings would make him the fifth-highest century-maker in Test cricket history with 37 hundreds, moving past Steve Smith and Rahul Dravid. It would also be his 55th international century, equaling Hashim Amla’s record.
At stumps, England reached 251/4, with Root unbeaten on 99 and captain Ben Stokes on 39. The day’s play saw a more traditional approach to Test cricket, rather than England’s usual aggressive ‘Bazball’ style, with a run rate of 3.02.The final session began with England at 153/2, with Root and Ollie Pope at the crease. Ravindra Jadeja broke their 109-run partnership by dismissing Pope for 44 runs off 104 balls.Harry Brook, the current number one Test batter, started promisingly but was bowled by Jasprit Bumrah for 11 runs off 20 balls, leaving England at 172/4.
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England reached their 200-run mark in the 64th over with a single from Stokes off Mohammed Siraj’s bowling. Root and Stokes then formed an unbroken partnership, adopting a more conservative approach to end the day’s play.The pair added 50 runs in 100 balls and maintained their wickets until stumps, with Root finishing tantalizingly close to his century on 99 not out.Earlier in the day, Nitish Kumar Reddy had claimed two wickets in the first session, while Jadeja and Bumrah picked up one wicket each in the following sessions.The day’s play reflected a departure from England’s recent aggressive approach under the Stokes-McCullum regime, as they focused on building their innings steadily rather than pursuing quick runs.
