India vs England 1st Test: Joe Root becomes 9th batsman to achieve MASSIVE record in 100th Test

England captain became the 9th batsman ever and the first since South African batsman Hashim Amla in 2017 to score a century in his 100th Test match. Root achieved this incredible record on Day One of the first Test against India in Chennai on Friday.  

The century on Friday was Root’s 20th in Test cricket and his third consecutive one in the longest format after back-to-back hundreds in two Tests against Sri Lanka last month. Root becomes the third Englishman after Colin Cowdrey (104 vs Australia in 1968) and Alec Stewart (105 vs West Indies in 2000) to achieve this feat. 

Before Root, the Pakistani duo of Javed Miandad (145 in 1989) and Inzamam-ul-haq (184 in 2005) were the only two batsmen to score a ton in 100th Test against the Indian attack. Root completed his century with a single off Washington Sundar off 162 balls in a knock studded with 12 boundaries. 

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting is the only cricketer to have a scored a century in each innings in his 100th Test. Ponting achieved this feat against South Africa in 2006 when he scored 120 and 143 not out. 

This was also Root’s 7th consecutive score of 50 or more in India matching the record of VVS Laxman (2009-10) and Alvin Kallicharan (1974-79) but the record belongs to Javed Miandad, who scored 8 fifty-plus scores between 1980 to 1987. 

“I think walking out for the first time in England shirt probably (has) been the proudest moment,” Root said in the virtual media conference on Thursday, about his debut against India. 

“I look back on walking out to bat and seeing Kevin Pietersen still at other end, someone who I watched as a teenager and as a kid growing up and I just couldn't stop smiling as I was living my childhood dream,” the England skipper added. 

Apart from Root, only seven batsmen from outside Asia have scored three hundreds in consecutive Tests -- Alastair Cook (2012), Hashim Amla (2010), Jacques Kallis (2004-07), Brian Lara (2001-06),  Ken Barrington (4 Tests, 1961), Garfield Sobers (1958) and Everton Weekes (1948). 

Now only Ken Barrington is ahead of Root in this record, scoring four hundreds in successive Tests – on two occasions.