Joe Root turns 30: A look at his notable feats
England Test captain Joe Root turned 30 on Wednesday. In this decade, his ability to score runs consistently earned him a place in the Fab Four. He is one of the few overseas players in world cricket to have done well in the Indian subcontinent. Notably, his batting has further improved while captaining the side. We present Root's notable feats in international cricket.
In a career spanning over eight years, Root has bolstered England's top-order, especially in red-ball cricket. He is also a valuable asset in ODI cricket, a format wherein he averages over 50. In 97 Tests, he racked up 7,823 runs at a formidable average of 47.99, including 17 tons. He also registered 5,962 ODI and 893 T20I runs in his career.
Root is presently the leading run-scorer in Test cricket among active cricketers. He has 456 runs more than the second-placed Ross Taylor, who owns 7,367 in the format. The likes of Virat Kohli (7,244) and David Warner (7,318) follow them on the tally.
In 2019, Root became a part of the historic England side that clinched their maiden World Cup title. His magnificent run with the bat helped the hosts script history. Notably, he emerged as the highest run-getter from England and fifth-highest overall. He finished the tournament with 556 runs from 11 innings at an incredible average of 61.78, including two tons.
Root's propensity in ODI cricket is often underestimated, however, the numbers state otherwise. Having amassed over 5,000 runs in the format, he has the second-best average (50.10) among Englishmen after Jonathan Trott (51.25). He also has 16 ODI tons under his belt, most by an England player to date. Notably, Root is mere 38 runs away from reaching the 6,000-run mark in ODIs.
Root took over the reins of Test captaincy from former captain Alastair Cook in 2017. Ever since, he has captained England in 44 Tests, winning 23 of them. While 15 have been lost, six of them have resulted in a draw. With another win, he could emulate Cook's record of 24 wins. Meanwhile, Root owns 3,229 international runs as captain at 42.48.
In 2018, Root became the first English captain to win a Test series in Sri Lanka since 2001. This was his first-ever series win outside home as captain. Notably, England routed the hosts 3-0 in the series.
