Root up to second on record Test list as England dominate India

Joe Root climbed to 2nd connected the all-time database of Test run-scorers aft hitting a sparkling 38th period arsenic England hunted a series-clinching triumph against India.

Ben Stokes’s team, 2-1 up successful the five-match series, were 544-7 astatine stumps connected Friday connected the 3rd time of the 4th Test astatine Old Trafford, 186 runs up of the toiling tourists connected archetypal innings.

Root made an imperious people of precisely 150, with lone retired India large Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 Test runs) present having made much than the 34-year-old Englishman’s tally of 13,409.

Earlier, Ollie Pope (71) enactment connected 144 for the 3rd wicket with Root earlier helium was dismissed by Washington Sundar, who besides removed Harry Brook cheaply to springiness India renewed hope.

But skipper Stokes, who ended the time 77 not retired aft concisely retiring wounded with cramp, ensured England regained the initiative.

And it was Stokes who celebrated astatine the different extremity arsenic Root, his predecessor arsenic England captain, reached 13,379 runs with a azygous to determination 1 up of Australian Ricky Ponting’s figure.

“Magnificent from Root, this is simply a large infinitesimal successful history,” erstwhile Australia skipper Ponting said connected Sky Sports arsenic the Manchester assemblage stood to applaud and chant the Yorkshireman’s name.

“The mode his vocation his gone, determination is perfectly nary crushed wherefore helium volition not spell past Tendulkar.”

Root’s 38th Test period besides drew him level with Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara successful 4th spot connected the database of astir hundreds successful a Test career.

“It has been a privilege to ticker him sound disconnected those milestones,” erstwhile England skipper Michael Atherton said connected Sky. “It has besides been a privilege to spot his vocation unfold.”

England’s Joe Root successful enactment astatine Old Trafford successful Manchester [Ed Sykes/Reuters]

Root did not be the post-play quality league arsenic helium was receiving attraction for cramp.

Instead, England vice-captain Pope, asked what helium admired astir astir his chap top-order batsman, replied, “Just his hunger and his drive, you look astatine each the batters present and everyone’s picked up thing from Joe.”

The 27-year-old added, “His hunger for it is awesome. He’s an annoyingly bully bloke, the mode helium is with the fans and arsenic a relation exemplary for the adjacent procreation is awesome.

“There’s a batch to larn from him.”

India’s onslaught had fewer answers to Root’s latest century, with bowling manager Morne Morkel – the erstwhile South Africa speedy – saying: “There’s not a batch of weaknesses successful his game. That’s wherefore he’s scored 13,000 positive runs.”

England earlier resumed connected 225-2 pursuing a blistering opening concern of 166 successful 32 overs betwixt Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett connected time two, with Pope 20 not retired and Root connected 11.

On 21, the erstwhile England skipper walked a agelong distant crossed his stumps lone to miss an intended glimpse disconnected Mohammed Siraj.

India reviewed for lbw aft Ahsan Raza ruled successful Root’s favour but replays upheld the Pakistani umpire’s decision, indicating the shot would person missed limb stump.

There was different scare erstwhile Root, connected 22, was astir tally out, but Ravindra Jadeja’s shy astatine the stumps missed.

Root, who started the time 5th successful Test cricket’s database of starring run-scorers, past leapfrogged India’s Rahul Dravid and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis into 3rd place.

Spin, however, yet paid dividends for India wherever gait had failed, with some Jasprit Bumrah and Siraj appearing to tyre successful the lack of the injured Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Pope had added conscionable 1 tally to his lunchtime people of 70 when, beaten by the drift from off-spinner Sundar, helium edged a flicked front-foot thrust to KL Rahul astatine slip.

England were soon 349-4 erstwhile Brook, connected three, was stumped disconnected Sundar by Dhruv Jurel, deputising for injured India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

Stokes, however, prevented further illness with his archetypal 50 of the series, and the left-handed batsman was successful good interaction until succumbing to cramp successful his near leg.

Root reached his period successful 178 balls with a glanced 4 disconnected ineffective debutant paceman Anshul Kamboj.

He serenely continued to 150 earlier helium was beaten by a turning transportation from left-arm spinner Jadeja that bounced steeply, with Jurel completing a crisp stumping.

And erstwhile Chris Woakes was bowled by a Siraj shot that kept debased – a worrying motion for India’s batsmen – England were inactive well-placed astatine 528-7.

That was the cue for all-rounder Stokes, arguably England’s champion bowler this series, to resume his innings, and helium carried connected from wherever helium near disconnected with a well-timed screen thrust disconnected Bumrah.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies