England's veteran batter Joe Root scripted history after bringing his 67th Test fifty on Day 1 of the fifth Ashes Test against Australia in Sydney. This milestone propelled the top-ranked ICC Test batter to the number two spot on the all-time list for most fifties in the format, surpassing West Indian legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Root now trails only Sachin Tendulkar, who holds the record with 68 half-centuries.
Joe Root nears Sachin Tendulkar's most Test fifty record
The statistical comparison between Root and Tendulkar highlights the Englishman’s incredible consistency. While Tendulkar accumulated 68 fifties and 51 centuries across a 200-match career, Root has already reached 67 fifties and 40 centuries in just 163 matches. By moving past Chanderpaul’s career mark of 66 half-centuries, Root has positioned himself to potentially claim the top spot in the near future.
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Beyond the half-century milestone, Root is on the verge of joining an even more exclusive club. If he manages to score 151 more runs during the current match, he will become only the second player in history to surpass 14,000 Test runs. Currently, Sachin Tendulkar stands alone as the only cricketer to have reached that monumental figure.
Joe Root rescues England with brilliant fifty in Sydney
Root took to the crease at number four after England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bat. Root, who celebrated his 35th birthday earlier this week, has anchored the innings brilliantly. Alongside Harry Brook, he has forged a formidable 154-run partnership for the fourth wicket, guiding England into a strong position against the Australian attack.
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The two batters have approached the innings with distinct styles. Root has played a composed knock, finding the boundary eight times across 103 deliveries. Meanwhile, Brook has been more aggressive, scoring his 78 runs at nearly a run-a-ball pace, including six fours and a towering six.
By the end of Day 1's close, England were strongly placed at 211/3 with Root (72) and Brook (78) intact on the crease.