Joe Root becomes fastest Englishman to complete 11,000 Test runs
England talisman Joe Root has continued his rich vein of form with a fine fifty in the One-off Test against Ireland at Lord's. Notably, this was his 58th Test fifty for Root, who also completed 11,000 runs in the longest format of the game. His knock of 59-ball 56 was laced with four boundaries and a six. Here we decode his innings
Root slammed a breezy fifty
Root came to the crease after a marathon inning from Ben Duckett, who slammed his career-high runs in Test cricket. The 32-year-old batter played with an attacking mentality right from ball one. He punished the loose balls and completed his record 58th fifty in only 55 deliveries. He added a 146-run stand with Ollie Pope before he was knocked over by Andy McBrine.
Fastest Englishman to complete 11,000 Test runs
Root completed 11,000 Test runs with a single off Curtis Campher. He became the second Englishman to achieve the feat after Alastair Cook. Overall, he is the 11th batter to reach the milestone. Cook completed the feat in 252 innings, while Root took only 238 innings to get to the milestone. SL's Kumar Sangakkara remains the fastest to complete the feat in 208 innings.
Most runs in the ICC WTC 2021-23 cycle
Root has hammered the most runs in the ICC World Test Championship cycle. With this fifty he has tallied 1,971 runs in 23 matches at an average of above 52. He has amassed eight centuries in this cycle along with six fifties. Australian opener Usman Khawaja is second on the list with 1,608 runs in 16 Tests, slamming seven fifties and six hundreds.
A look at Root's numbers in Test cricket
In 130 Test matches, Root has amassed 11,004 runs at an impressive average of 50.47. He is the second-highest run-scorer in this format for England. Only behind Cook with 12,472 runs. During his knock, he surpassed former Australia captain Steve Waugh (10,927) in the runs tally. Another Aussie icon Allan Border is ahead of him with 11,174 runs in Test cricket.
Most fifties for England in Test cricket
Root's 59-ball 56 against Ireland at Lord's will be historic as it helped him reach 11,000 runs in Test cricket. However, it also brought up his 58th Test fifty, which is the most fifties in this format by an Englishman. Cook has 57 Test fifties.
