Joe Root climbed to second on the all-time list of Test run-scorers after hitting a sparkling 38th century as England hunted a series-clinching win against India.
Ben Stokes’s team, 2-1 up in the five-match series, were 544-7 at stumps on Friday on the third day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, 186 runs ahead of the toiling tourists on first innings.
Root made an imperious score of exactly 150, with only retired India great Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 Test runs) now having made more than the 34-year-old Englishman’s tally of 13,409.
Earlier, Ollie Pope (71) put on 144 for the third wicket with Root before he was dismissed by Washington Sundar, who also removed Harry Brook cheaply to give India renewed hope.
But skipper Stokes, who ended the day 77 not out after briefly retiring hurt with cramp, ensured England regained the initiative.
And it was Stokes who celebrated at the other end as Root, his predecessor as England captain, reached 13,379 runs with a single to move one ahead of Australian Ricky Ponting’s figure.
“Magnificent from Root, this is a great moment in history,” former Australia captain Ponting said on Sky Sports as the Manchester crowd stood to applaud and chant the Yorkshireman’s name.
“The way his career his gone, there is absolutely no reason why he will not go past Tendulkar.”
Root’s 38th Test century also drew him level with Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara in fourth place on the list of most hundreds in a Test career.
“It has been a privilege to watch him knock off those milestones,” former England skipper Michael Atherton said on Sky. “It has also been a privilege to see his career unfold.”
Root did not attend the post-play news conference as he was receiving treatment for cramp.
Instead, England vice-captain Pope, asked what he admired most about his fellow top-order batsman, replied, “Just his hunger and his drive, you look at all the batters here and everyone’s picked up something from Joe.”
The 27-year-old added, “His hunger for it is awesome. He’s an annoyingly good bloke, the way he is with the fans and as a role mod