Joe Root shatters records with career-best 262 against Pakistan: Stats
England's batting superstar Joe Root shattered a plethora of Test records en route to his sixth double-ton in Tests. He was dismissed for a career-best 262 on the fourth day of the ongoing first Test against Pakistan in Multan. Root is now the Englishman with the second-most Test double-tons as he broke the tie with Alastair Cook (5). He earlier notched up his 35th Test century. This was his second double-ton vs Pakistan.
Root's knock leads England past 700
Root arrived to bat in the final session of Day 2 and returned unbeaten on 32. He and Zak Crawley (78) steered England past 100 on Day 3 morning. Despite Crawley's dismissal in the 25th over, Root continued his strong performance and reached his century off 167 balls after lunch. Root further added 136 runs with Ben Duckett (84) before registering a record-breaking 454-run stand with fellow double-centurion Harry Brook.
Root becomes England's highest run-scorer in Test cricket
Root ended up scoring 262 off 375 balls (17 fours). His previous-highest Test score read 254. Playing his 147th Test, Root has raced to 12,664 runs at an average of 51,.47. In addition to 35 Test tons, he owns 64 fifties. He also became England's highest run-scorer and overall the fifth-highest run-getter in Test cricket, going past Alastair Cook's record of 12,472 runs.
Root matches Dravid's record of 50-plus scores
Root has also equaled Dravid's record of scoring 50 or more runs in a Test match 99 times. This makes him joint third on the list of players with most 50+ scores in Test cricket. Only Tendulkar (119), Kallis (103) and Ponting (103) have done this more times than Root and Dravid. This further cements Root's status as one of the most consistent performers in Test cricket.
Root ties for most Test centuries in 2024
Root's century against Pakistan was his fifth in 2024, equaling Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis for the most Test hundreds scored this year. This was also Root's first century in Pakistan, despite having played three previous Tests in the country. His performance on Wednesday was marked by a muted celebration as he acknowledged applause from the England dressing room and kissed the badge on his helmet.
Root only behind Wally Wally Hammond
As mentioned, this was Root's sixth double-century in Tests. Wally Hammond (7) is the only Englishman to have accomplished this mark more times. Root's tally of 35 Test tons is also the most for an England player. He also went past legends Younis Khan, Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara, and Mahela Jayawardene, each of whom has 34 tons.
Root also scripts these records
Root became the first non-Asian batter to score a double hundred in each of India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. He now owns double-tons in five different nations. Only Kumar Sangakkara and Younis Khan are ahead in this regard with six doube-hundreds apiece. Root became the second visiting player after India's Virender Sehwag to register two 250-plus scores against Pakistan. The veteran also became the first England batter to score two 200s against Pakistan.
Root and Brook's partnership sets new record in Multan Test
Root's achievement wasn't the only highlight of the day. His batting partner, Harry Brook, also scored a double-century at a strike rate of over 80. They scored 454 runs in partnership, breaking the highest-ever Test stand for any wicket by an English pair. They also recorded the highest-ever stand against Pakistan in Test cricket. The English duo also recorded the highest stand in WTC history.
