Joe Root brought up his record century with an adventurous reverse-scoop shot on Day 3 of the second Test to help England crush New Zealand by 323 runs to clinch the three-match Test series at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on December 8.
On the first ball of the 83rd over, Root played a reverse-scoop shot against William ORourke to hit the ball over the New Zealand wicketkeeper Tom Blundell’s head and slips cordon for a boundary to reach three figures from 127 balls in the Wellington Test.
Joe Root’s record century powers England to 323-run win over New Zealand in Wellington Test
However, Joe Root was dismissed for 106 off 130 balls, caught behind off Will O’Rourke, just three balls after reaching his record century in the second Test match between England and New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. However, it was enough to England to seal the game and Test series. His 36th Test century came in his 151st match.
JOE ROOT PLAYED ONE OF THE CRAZIEST SHOT EVER TO COMPLETE HUNDRED IN TEST CRICKET…!!!! 🥶
– The Greatest batter ever from England, 36 Test Hundreds, Freak. pic.twitter.com/sx0vrE5fuv
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 8, 2024
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With this ton, Root equaled Rahul Dravid’s record of 36 Test centuries, placing both players in 5th position on the all-time list for most centuries in Test cricket. The top spot is held by legendary Sachin Tendulkar (51), followed by Jacques Kallis (45), Ricky Ponting (41), and Kumar Sangakkara (38).
The former England captain also matched Rahul Dravid’s record for the most Test centuries against New Zealand, with both players now having six centuries against this opposition.
Joe Root joins elite club with 36th Test century against New Zealand
South African legend Jacques Kallis has also six Test centuries to his name against New Zealand, while Pakistani great Javed Miandad holds the top spot with seven Test hundreds against the Kiwis.
Meanwhile, this Wellington century marked Joe Root’s sixth Test hundred in 2024. His previous centuries in 2024 came against India, and West Indies, twice against Sri Lanka, and a double century in Pakistan. This is the second time Root has scored six Test centuries in a calendar year.
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He had scored six Test centuries in 2021. Root now becomes the only English player to have achieved this feat twice and one of only three players globally to do so, alongside Ricky Ponting and Steve Smith. Mohammad Yousuf holds the record for the most Test centuries in a calendar year with nine.
Joe Root becomes first England batter to score 100 fifty-plus Test score
Additionally, Root also becomes the first England batter and only the fourth in the world to record 100 scores of fifty or more in Test cricket. England’s batting icon has now joined an exclusive list of players, including Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, and Ricky Ponting, as the only cricketers to surpass the 100 mark for 50+ scores in Test cricket.
Legendary Indian batter Tendulkar is leading the chart of fifty-plus scores with 119 fifty-plus scores, followed by Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting, each with 103. With 35 centuries and 65 fifties in 276 innings, the 33-year-old Root has so far amassed a staggering 12,853 runs in Test cricket.
With 1,417 Test runs in 2024, Root is just 83 runs away from becoming the second player in history to score 1,500 Test runs in multiple calendar years. The only other player to achieve this feat is Ricky Ponting, who achieved the feat in 2003 and 2005. Root had previously surpassed the 1,500-run mark in 2021 during a remarkable run of form.