India Vs England: Joe Root Overtakes Ricky Ponting, Climbs To Top Spot In Elite List

Joe Root achieved a huge milestone on the third and the final day of the Dharamsala Test match against India. With India putting on a huge total of 477 in response to England’s first innings score of 218, the visiting side was confirmed to lose another Test match. England once again failed to bat for a complete day and were bowled out for 195 in 48.1 overs.

Root was the only batsman who stood tall in England’s second innings and he scored 84 off 124 balls before departing. As he breached the 50-run mark, the former England captain etched his name in the history books.

Root leapfrogged Ricky Ponting in the elite list of batsmen with the most 50-plus scores against India in Tests. He has breached the 50-run mark 21 times against the Rohit Sharma-led side. Ponting breached the mark 20 times.

Root, who made his Test debut against India in 2012, has 10 centuries and 11 half-centuries against Team India. He also has most runs in all of the bilateral series played between the two teams. The right-handed batsman has piled up 2846 runs in 30 matches and sits ahead of Sachin Tendulkar.

The Master Blaster sits at the second spot with 2535 runs from 32 matches. Root has played 2 matches less than Sachin and is expected to play few more matches against India. Sunil Gavaskar (2483) and Alastair Cook (2431) are the other two batsmen with more than 2000 runs in the series between two teams.

Virat Kohli has scored 1991 runs against England. He missed the complete bilateral series for personal reasons and is expected to breach the 2000-run mark in the next series between the two teams.

James Anderson creates history

Not just Joe Root, James Anderson also etched his name in history books and became the first pacer to complete 700 Test wickets. The right-arm pacer is now third in the list of bowlers with most Test wickets. He is close to overtaking Shane Warne, who dismissed 708 batsmen in 145 Test matches.

Anderson, who has played 187 Tests, can go past the late spinner in the 2024/25 season. Muttiah Muralitharan tops the list. The Sri Lanka legend dismissed 800 batsmen in 133 Tests.

India win series 4-1

India registered a big victory in the Dharamsala Test match to win the series 4-1. The Rohit Sharma-led side had confirmed a series win by defeating Ben Stokes and Co. in Ranchi. India’s win in Dharamsala further added to England’s woes. They haven’t won a Test series in India since 2012.