England's batting maestro, Joe Root, reaffirmed his profound mastery of Test cricket with a monumental innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday. His commanding century in the fifth and final Ashes Test not only anchored England's first innings but also propelled him into the rarefied air of the game's all-time greats, bringing two of cricket's most hallowed records firmly within his sights.
A Masterclass Innings and Historic Milestones
The 35-year-old right-hander crafted a sublime 160 runs from 242 deliveries, an innings laced with 15 boundaries. This knock was the cornerstone of England's total of 384. It marked his 41st Test hundred, a feat that drew him level with Australian legend Ricky Ponting for third place on the all-time list of century-makers. Only the iconic Sachin Tendulkar (51) and South Africa's Jacques Kallis (45) now stand ahead of him.
This was Root's second century of the ongoing Ashes series in Australia, following his unbeaten 138 in the Brisbane day-night Test. That earlier innings had ended a long drought of three-figure scores for him on Australian soil across three previous tours.
Inching Closer to Bradman and Tendulkar's Sacred Records
Beyond the century count, Root's Sydney masterpiece carried even deeper historical weight. It was his 17th score of 150 or more in Test cricket, moving him to fifth on the all-time list for such monumental knocks. This achievement places him just one behind the immortal Sir Don Bradman, who has 18 scores of 150-plus.
He is now within touching distance of batting luminaries Brian Lara and Kumar Sangakkara, who share second place with 19 such scores each. The only batter clearly ahead is Sachin Tendulkar, who tops this prestigious chart with 20 scores of 150 or more.
Dominance in the Modern Era and England Elite
Root's dominance in the contemporary Test arena is staggering. Since the start of 2021, he has amassed a remarkable 24 Test centuries. This tally is more than double that of his nearest rivals in the same period. A group comprising Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, Harry Brook, and Shubman Gill have each scored 10 tons.
Among England batters, Root has etched his name into a special Ashes chapter. He has now joined former captains Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook as only the third Englishman since the 1994/95 tour to score multiple hundreds in an away Ashes series in Australia.
Played in his 163rd Test match, this latest century is a powerful testament to Root's extraordinary longevity, consistency, and undiminished passion for the sport's most demanding format. As the records of Bradman and Tendulkar loom closer, the cricketing world watches a modern master calmly scale the peaks of history.
