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Ashes 2021/22: Joe Root achieves this monumental feat
Joe Root has scored the most Test runs by an English batter in a calendar year

Ashes 2021/22: Joe Root achieves this monumental feat

Dec 10, 2021
12:32 pm

What's the story

England captain Joe Root scripted a monumental record on Day 3 of the ongoing first Ashes Test at the Gabba. Root now has the most Test runs by an England batter in a calendar year. He broke the record of Michael Vaughan, who amassed 1,481 runs in 2002. Root also eclipsed his previous best tally of 1,477 runs (2016). Here are his key stats.

Context

Why does it matter?

Root is regarded as England's greatest batter of all time in Test cricket. He is the leading run-scorer in the format among active players. The English captain has been in sublime form of late, having shattered numerous records. Root is the leading run-scorer in Test cricket this year. In fact, he is the only batter with over 1,000 Test runs in 2021.

Record

First England batter with 1,500 Test runs in a year

Root has become the only English batter to have scored over 1,500 Test runs in a calendar year. As stated, he surpassed former England captain Vaughan, who racked up 1,481 runs in 2002. Interestingly, Root follows Vaughan on this tally. The former aggregated 1,477 Test runs in 2016. Root also smashed 1,385 runs in the format in 2015.

Runs

Most Test runs in 2021

Root is the highest run-scorer in Test cricket in the ongoing year. He has over 1,500 runs at a staggering average of 66. Root also owns the most number of hundreds (6) this year. The English captain is followed by Rohit Sharma (906), Dimuth Karunaratne (902), Rishabh Pant (706), and Abid Ali (695) in terms of Test runs (2021).

Captain

Root only behind these legends

Root now has the most Test runs by an England captain in a calendar year. He had eclipsed the tally of Alastair Cook (1,364 runs in 2015), who held this record previously. Only three other captains have scored more Test runs than Root in a calendar year (Graeme Smith: 1,656, Michael Clarke: 1,595, and Ricky Ponting: 1,544).

Do you know?

Root has six Test tons this year

Root (6) is only behind Ponting on the list of most Test centuries by a captain in a calendar year (7). Interestingly, no other English captain had struck more than four Test centuries in a single year before Root did so.