Joe Root equalled legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most fifties in Test cricket during the first Test against Pakistan at Headingley. He brought up his 68th Test half-century on Day 2 before being dismissed for 66 off 112 deliveries.
Root’s 66 was his 109th 50-plus score in Test cricket. This is the second most after Tendulkar, who had 119 fifty-plus scores in his career. West Indies great Shivnarine Chanderpaul is third with 66 half-centuries. Former Australia captain Allan Border and India’s Rahul Dravid round out the top five with 63 each.
Root has 14,180 runs in just 167 Tests. He is the highest active run-scorer in Test cricket. He has 41 centuries and is now only 1,741 runs away from Tendulkar’s all-time record of 15,921 runs.
Root also moved up in the list of 50-plus scores as captain in Tests. He is now fifth in the elite record. Graeme Smith leads with 61, followed by Ricky Ponting with 54, Allan Border with 51, and Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq with 43.
England strengthened their position against Pakistan in the first Test. They took a strong 195-run lead after finishing Day 2 on 366 for 8 in reply to Pakistan’s 171. Jordan Cox, Root, and Harry Brook struck fifties. Pakistan’s spinner Ali Usman picked a five-wicket haul.
Joe Root Slams His 68th Half-Century in Test Cricket
England talisman Joe Root scored a solid 66 against Pakistan in the first Test at Headingley, Leeds. He arrived to bat on Day 1 when England were 48 for 2. Alongside Jordan Cox, he guided the hosts to 112 for 2 at stumps. On Day 2, he completed his fifty before being dismissed.
Root and Cox steadied the ship with a gutsy effort. On a rain-hit Day 2, they continued to thwart the visitors and both reached their fifties. Cox was dismissed after a 150-run stand. Shortly after, Root departed, trapped LBW by Khurram Shahzad.
Root’s knock was laced with 10 fours. He has raced to 14,180 runs from 167 Tests at 50.64. He slammed his 68th fifty and equaled Sachin Tendulkar for the most fifties in Test cricket. Shivnarine Chanderpaul is third with 66, followed by Allan Border with 63.
Root surpassed 1,500 Test runs against Pakistan earlier on Day 1. He now has 1,553 runs from 19 matches at an average of 53.55. He struck his 8th fifty against Pakistan. He became the second player to complete 1,500 Test runs against Pakistan, joining Alastair Cook.
Root also smashed his 35th Test fifty on home soil. He has 7,566 runs at home at an average of 54.53. In first-class cricket, he surpassed 19,500 runs with this innings. He now has 19,563 runs at an average of around 50. He recorded his 92nd fifty in first-class cricket.
Joe Root Rewrites WTC History With Record-Breaking Captaincy Milestone
Joe Root etched his name into the World Test Championship record books on Friday. He became the first player to score 3,000 runs as a captain in the WTC during England’s opening Test against Pakistan at Headingley in Leeds.
Root needed 42 runs to reach the landmark at the start of the match. He had resumed the day unbeaten on 37 after England reached 112-2 on a rain-affected opening day. He completed the milestone after lunch on Day 2.
Root returned to the England captaincy following Ben Stokes’ retirement in June 2026. He now has 3,000 runs from 34 matches and 63 innings as WTC captain. He has scored eight centuries and 13 fifties, with a highest score of 228, and averages 50.13.
Root is comfortably ahead of the leading run-scorers in the WTC as captain. Former England skipper Stokes is second with 2,182 runs. Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne has 2,160 runs. West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite has 1,994 runs, while Pakistan’s Babar Azam has 1,918.
Root scored 66 and played a key role in a 150-run partnership with Jordan Cox, who made 73. Harry Brook narrowly missed out on a century, falling for 91. Dan Lawrence also contributed with a 51. England ended Day 2 on 366-8, taking a first-innings lead of 195 runs over Pakistan.
FAQs
Q. Whose Test fifty record did Joe Root match?
A. Root matched Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 68 Test fifties.
Q. How many 50-plus Test scores does Root have?
A. Root has 109 scores of 50 or more.
Q. How many WTC runs has Root scored as captain?
A. Root has scored 3,000 runs in 34 matches as captain.
Q. When did Root return as England captain?
A. Root returned after Ben Stokes retired in June 2026.
Q. How many runs did Root score against Pakistan?
A. Root scored 66 runs from 112 deliveries.
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