Red-hot English batter Joe Root smashed his 50th international century to shatter multiple records during the second Test match against Sri Lanka on Saturday, August 31. The veteran became the only second among active cricketers to reach the historic 50-hundred mark in international cricket.
The 33-year-old Root scored his 33rd Test century in the first innings and continued his sensational form in the second innings by smashing his record 34th Test hundred. He broke Alastair Cook's all-time record to register the most centuries for England.
Root also equalled legendary Younis Khan, Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara and Mahela Jayawardene's Test century tally and is now only behind five cricketers in the exclusive list.
Most Test hundreds
- Sachin Tendulkar - 51 in 329 innings
- Jacques Kallis - 45 in 280 innings
- Ricky Ponting - 41 in 287 innings
- Kumar Sangakkara - 38 in 233 innings
- Rahul Dravid - 36 in 286 innings
- Joe Root - 34 in 265 innings
- Younis Khan - 34 in 213 innings
- Sunil Gavaskar - 34 in 214 innings
- Brian Lara - 34 in 232 innings
- Mahela Jayawardene - 34 in 252 innings
Root also became the leading run-scorer in Test cricket history at the iconic Lord's after reaching the 98-run mark. He broke the legendary England batter Graham Gooch's record of 2015 runs and also smashed his 7th Test century at the venue, the most by any cricketer.
Meanwhile, Root took only 111 balls to reach a hundred, his fastest Test century, as England took a stunning 482-run lead in the second innings. The record-breaking Root scored 103 runs off 121 balls with the help of 10 fours.
England's second innings stumbled to 251 in 54.3 overs with Lahiru Kumara dismissing Joe Root for the last wicket. Lahiru and Asitha Fernando picked three wickets each while Milan Rathnayake and Prabath Jayasuriya bagged two each for the travelling side.
