England’s batting stalwart Joe Root etched his name in cricketing history during the fifth and final Test against India at The Oval in London, joining the legendary Sir Don Bradman in an exclusive club. Despite a brief innings of just 29 runs, Root’s career achievements reached another significant milestone on Day 2 of the match.
Joe Root Joins Don Bradman
Root became only the second player in Test cricket history to score over 2,000 runs against India in home Tests, a feat previously achieved only by the great Don Bradman. He scored 2354 runs against England in Australia. The milestone underscores Root’s remarkable consistency and dominance in English conditions, especially against high-quality opposition like India.
Root Surpassed Tendulkar
Adding to his accolades, Root also surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most Test runs scored at home venues. With his latest innings, the 34-year-old now has over 7,220 runs on home soil, moving to third place in the all-time list behind only Ricky Ponting and Tendulkar. Root’s innings at The Oval may have been short-lived, but the knock carried significant historical weight. Achieving such records during a fiercely contested Test series reflects the former England captain’s enduring class and impact on the game.
India and England have been engaged in a hard-fought battle throughout the series, and Root’s latest accomplishment adds another layer of intrigue to the final Test. Regardless of the match outcome, Root’s name now sits alongside cricket’s greatest, reinforcing his place as one of the finest batsmen of the modern era.
Who has the upper hand?
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s unbeaten 51 took India to 75/2 at stumps on the second day of the fifth Test against England at the Oval. India lead England by 52 runs at stumps on Day 2 with Jaiswal and night watchman Akash Deep (4 not out) at the crease. After taking a lead of 23 runs, England pacer Josh Tongue removed KL Rahul (7) while Gus Atkinson accounted for Sai Sudharsan (11). Earlier, England were bowled out for 247 in their first innings with Mohammed Siraj (4/86) and Prasidh Krishna (4/62) taking four wickets each.