Decoding Joe Root's sensational Test record against Sri Lanka
What's the story
England are gearing up to host Sri Lanka in a three-Test series, starting on August 21 at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.
Eyes will be on talismanic batter Joe Root, who has been a run-scoring machine in Test cricket.
He has also thoroughly enjoyed operating against the Lankan bowlers in red-ball cricket.
Here we decode his Test stats against SL.
Stats
Over 1,000 runs against SL
As per ESPNcricinfo, Root has clobbered 1,001 runs across 10 Tests against the Lankans.
His average of 58.88 is the best among England batters with 700-plus runs against the opposition.
Only Alastair Cook (1,290) has more runs against SL among British players.
Four of Root's five 50-plus scores against SL have been converted into hundreds. The tally includes two double-tons.
DYK
Only batter with this feat
According to ESPNcricinfo, Root is the only batter with three 180-plus scores against SL in whites.
He scored 200* in his first outing against the Lankans, in 2014 at Lord's.
Meanwhile, Root recorded scores worth 228 and 186 during England's 2021 tour of SL.
Both these knocks were recorded in Galle.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Trott is England's only other double-centurion versus SL.
Numbers
His home and away numbers against SL
346 of Root's runs against SL have come in five home Tests at 49.42.
On SL soil, he has recorded 655 runs at 65.50.
Among non-Asian batters with at least 500 Test runs in Sri Lanka, only New Zealand's Stephen Fleming (104.71) and West Indies's Brian Lara (100.85) boast better averages.
Stats
Root owns 12,000-plus runs and 32 centuries in Tests
During the recent home series against West Indies, Root attained two mega milestones.
In the second Test, he clocked his 32nd century, equaling Cook for most Test tons for England.
During the third match, he surpassed 12,000 Test runs, joining Cook in this tally for England.
Root currently owns 12,027 runs across 143 Tests at 50.11. The tally includes 32 tons and 63 fifties.