LEEDS: England talismanic batter Joe Root equaled legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most fifties during the second day of the first Test against Pakistan at Headingley on Thursday.
Root inched closer to Sachin’s all-time Test tally with his 68th fifty of his Test career. The 35-year-old is now level with India great Tendulkar, who scored 68 half-centuries in 329 Test innings during his career.
Tendulkar finished with 15,921 Test runs at an average of 53.78, while Root has scored 14,180 runs in 305 innings.
Root’s dismissal came with England on 198-4 as Pakistan fought back after Joe Root and Jordan Cox had put on 150 runs for the third wicket.
Most half-centuries in Tests
Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 68 in 329 innings
Joe Root (England) – 68 in 305 innings
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies) – 66 in 280 innings
Allan Border (Australia) – 63 in 265 innings
Rahul Dravid (India) – 63 in 286 innings
The half-century also saw Root move ahead of former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd on the list of most fifty-plus scores by a captain in Test cricket.
Only Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting, Allan Border, and Misbah-ul-Haq have scored more half-centuries as Test captains than Root.
The match is Root’s first as England captain since he returned to the role following Ben Stokes’ retirement from international cricket.
Root had stepped down as England’s Test captain in 2022 after a five-year stint, during which he led the side in 64 Tests.
His latest half-century came as England looked to build a first-innings lead after Pakistan were bowled out for 171 on the opening day.
Most fifties as captain in Tests
61 – Graeme Smith
54 – Ricky Ponting
51 – Allan Border
43 – Misbah-ul-Haq
42 – Joe Root
41 – Clive Lloyd
READ: Pakistan fight back after Joe Root, Jordan Cox fifties
