London, July 11
England batter Joe Root continued his brilliant run in London, solidifying his status as the 'Lord of the Lord's' with another masterclass Test century against India during the third Test, which pushed him up as the fifth-highest century-getter in Test cricket.
During the first ball of the first session of day two, Root completed his 37th Test ton with a boundary. He was ultimately castled by Jasprit Bumrah for the 11th time, scoring 104 in 199 balls with 10 fours.
Root has gone past Steve Smith and Rahul Dravid (36) to become the fifth-highest century-getter in all of Test cricket, with Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45), Ricky Ponting (41) and Kumar Sangakkara (38) above him.
He also levelled South African legend Hashim Amla for the joint-sixth-highest centuries in all forms of the game, with 55 centuries each.
Root's last three scores at Lord's are: 143, 103 and 100*. He is the highest run-scorer at the venue in Tests, with 2,126 runs in 23 Tests and 41 innings at an average of 55.94, with eight centuries and seven fifties. His best score is 200*.
In all forms of cricket at Lord's, Root is at the top of the list, with 2,531 runs in 33 matches at an average of 53.85, with nine centuries and fifties each in 51 innings.
Root is only the third batter to score three successive tons at Lord's alongside Jack Hobbs (1912-26) and Michael Vaughan (2004-05), both Englishmen.
This is his 11th hundred in 60 innings against India in Tests, the joint-most alongside Australia's Steve Smith (who has 11 centuries in 46 innings).
Root's ton and a counter-attacking eighth-wicket stand between wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse after three quick wickets helped England ease past the 350-run mark at the end of the first session on day two of the third Test against India at Lord's.
At the end of Lunch, England was 353/7, with Carse (33*) and Smith (51*). They have accumulated 82 runs for the eighth wicket so far.
England took to the field in the first session at 251/4, with Root (99*) and skipper Ben Stokes (39*) unbeaten.
On the first ball of the day with a boundary, Root continued his incredible run at Lord's, notching his ninth international ton at the venue and his 37th century in Test cricket, climbing to fifth spot among all-time Test centurions.
In the 86th over, Jasprit Bumrah produced the breakthrough for India, producing a brilliant nip-backer that crashed into Stokes' top of off-stump, removing him for 44 in 110 balls, with four boundaries. England was 260/5, ending an 88-run partnership between two of the most senior players in the group.
Jamie Smith was next up on the crease and immediately went after Mohammed Siraj with two cracking fours.
However, in the very next over, Bumrah once again came in clutch, castling Root for a 199-ball 104 consisting of 10 fours and then getting Chris Woakes caught behind by Dhruv Jurel for a golden duck. England was 271/7.
Smith continued his attacking brand of cricket, collecting boundaries against Siraj and Bumrah and playing some fine shots, displaying his class and power. The 300-run mark came up for England in 92.3 overs. Even Carse produced some handy boundaries.
Smith continued his red-hot form, reaching his fifty in 52 balls, with six fours. On the same delivery, England reached their 350-run mark. Smith and Carse made sure that England ended the session without any further trouble.
Brief Scores: England: 353/7 (Joe Root 104, Jamie Smith 51*, Jasprit Bumrah 4/68) vs India.
- ANI
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