England's Joe Root.
Joe Root has added another extraordinary record to his already remarkable Test career, becoming the first player in the 147-year history of Test cricket to cross the 2,000-run mark specifically in the fourth innings. The England star reached the landmark during his unbeaten 62 against Pakistan in the third Test at Edgbaston, producing yet another defining contribution when his team needed him most. Fourth-innings batting is arguably the ultimate examination of a Test batter. The pitch is often at its most challenging, the target is on the scoreboard and every wicket brings the chasing team closer to defeat. Root has made that pressure situation his own.
Batter4th Innings Test RunsJoe Root (ENG)2,059Sachin Tendulkar (IND)1,625Alastair Cook (ENG)1,611Graeme Smith (RSA)1,611Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI)1,580
Root's fourth-innings dominance reaches another level
Root's historic achievement came during England's chase of 130 in the third and final Test against Pakistan. The hosts suffered a nightmare beginning, losing Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay in the opening over to slip to 2/2. With Pakistan suddenly sensing an opportunity to defend a modest target, Root walked into the middle with England under pressure. As has so often been the case throughout his career, the situation appeared to bring out the best in him. Root steadied the chase alongside Jordan Cox, eventually remaining unbeaten on 62 as England reached 130/2 and completed an eight-wicket victory. Cox also remained unbeaten on 59, with the pair putting together a match-winning partnership after England's early collapse. The victory completed a 3-0 Test series sweep for England, giving Root the perfect finish to his return to the Test captaincy.
Root also becomes the first batter to score 1,000 runs at Edgbaston
The fourth-innings record was not the only piece of history Root created at Edgbaston. During the same innings, he became the first batter to score more than 1,000 Test runs at the Birmingham venue. Root had entered the match needing 52 runs to reach the landmark, having already accumulated 948 runs at Edgbaston. Edgbaston is now the fourth Test venue where Root has scored at least 1,000 runs. His other major haunts are:
Lord's – 2,203 runs
Manchester – 1,128 runs
The Oval – 1,050 runs
Edgbaston – 1,018 runs
That achievement places Root alongside Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting as only the third batter to score 1,000 or more Test runs at four different venues.
And then came another record involving Sachin Tendulkar
Root's 62 not out also produced another major milestone. The innings was his 69th Test fifty, moving him to the top of the all-time list for half-centuries. That took him past India's batting great Sachin Tendulkar, who finished his Test career with 68 fifties.
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Root now leads the list with 69, followed by Tendulkar on 68 and Shivnarine Chanderpaul on 66. Allan Border and Rahul Dravid have 63 each, while Ricky Ponting has 62. There is another remarkable aspect to that record: Root reached his 69 fifties in fewer Test innings than Tendulkar needed to reach 68.
Root's 110th fifty-plus score
The 62 not out was also Root's 110th Test innings in which he scored at least 50 runs. That tally includes 41 centuries and 69 fifties, underlining just how consistently he has converted opportunities into substantial scores throughout his career. Reuters confirmed the Edgbaston innings as his 110th Test score of 50 or more.
