By Shahbaz Cheema
England’s star batter Joe Root has joined the elite club of Test cricketers with the most centuries, equaling Pakistan’s legendary Younis Khan. Root, who has been in sensational form and matches Younis Khan’s Test century milestone, achieved his 34th Test century during the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s, cementing his place among the greats of the game.
Root’s century tally of 34 now places him alongside cricket legends such as Younis Khan, India’s Sunil Gavaskar, Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene, and West Indies’ Brian Lara. This milestone comes after his remarkable 143-run knock in the first innings, featuring 18 boundaries, followed by a crucial 103 in England’s second innings, where they set Sri Lanka a daunting target of 483 runs.
With this achievement, Root also surpasses Alastair Cook to become England’s all-time leading century-scorer in Test cricket. His recent purple patch has seen him become the seventh-highest run-scorer in Test history, with only the likes of Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar ahead of him.
In an emotional moment, Root dedicated his century to the late Graham Thorpe, a former England batter and assistant coach, pointing to the sky in tribute after reaching the milestone. Thorpe tragically passed away earlier this month.
Notably, Root stands as the active player with the most Test centuries, making him a key figure in modern-day cricket.
Most Hundreds in Test Cricket:
- Sachin Tendulkar: 51
- Jacques Kallis: 45
- Ricky Ponting: 41
- Kumar Sangakkara: 38
- Rahul Dravid: 36
- Joe Root: 34*
- Sunil Gavaskar: 34
- Mahela Jayawardene: 34
- Brian Lara: 34
- Younis Khan: 34
- Alastair Cook: 33
English