On October 9, Joe Root continued to scale newer heights in Test cricket with his 65th half-century against Pakistan in the first Test at Multan. The 33-year-old equalled the legendary Indian batter Rahul Dravid’s tally of 99 fifty plus scores in the red-ball format.
Root started the first Test with 98 fifty or more scores and walked in at a precarious situation for England, at 0/1. But the right-hander joined hands with Zak Crawley, as the duo not only negated the early threat but put pressure back on Pakistan, with the hosts having to struggle to make an impact with the ball.
While Crawley was on his attacking adventure, taking on the mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed with full force, Root was more circumspect in his approach, returning to the old ‘Root’ ways. The former captain absorbed all the pressure and just scored four boundaries in his innings en-route his half-century.
Also Read: Panesar Interview: ‘India can stop Root from breaking Sachin’s record’
Only three batters in Test cricket’s history have scored more fifty-plus scores than Root – Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting. The 33-year-old has been in crazy form, with three centuries in his last five Tests, including two in the same match against Sri Lanka at Lord’s. In that game, he went past Sir Alastair Cook’s record of 33 Test centuries.
Root is also within touching distance of Cook’s Test tally of runs, as he could become England’s leading run-scorer in the format in this innings itself.
With his purple patch, even breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record could just be a matter of time for Root.
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