Published 16:16 IST, January 16th 2021
Joe Root joins Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Steve Smith in rare WTC record
England captain Joe Root slammed his 4th double century during his side's series-opening Test match against Sri Lanka after the hosts were bundled out for 135.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
England captain Joe Root brought up his 18th Test century during Day 2 of the ongoing Sri Lanka vs England series-opening Test match. Arriving at the crease at 17-2, Root launched a counter-attacking display of batting en route to forming 100-plus stands with Jonny Bairstow and Dan Lawrence. The cricketer was eventually dismissed for 228 by off-spinner Dilruwan Perera on Day 3, as he managed to add 60 more runs to his overnight score of 168*.
SL vs ENG live: Watch highlights from Joe Root’s century on Day 2
Joe Root joins Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Steve Smith among WTC double-centurions
Joe Root’s double-century is the fourth of his Test career and his first in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship. The Test Championship was launched in 2019 with the Ashes series in England. Since its inception, it has witnessed as many as 11 double centuries with Joe Root becoming the latest entrant in the elite list.
Apart from Root, other batsmen to register a double ton in the Test Championship are India’s Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal, Australian Test mavericks Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and David Warner, England’s Zak Crawley and New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson. While David Warner is the only batsman to register a triple ton, Mayank Agarwal and Kane Williamson are the only cricketers to hold a distinction of scoring two double centuries.
Joe Root record in Test cricket
Joe Root's record and stats in Test cricket compose of some staggering numbers. In 97 Tests, prior to the ongoing game, the premier batsman aggregated 7,823 runs at an average of 47.99. Meanwhile, the updated Joe Root centuries section in Test cricket composes of 18 tons and 49 half-centuries.
ICC World Test Championship standings
Here is a look at the ICC World Test Championship standings as shared by the ICC on January 11. The list below was last updated prior to the commencement of the ongoing Sri Lanka vs England Test match and the Border-Gavaskar series-decider between India and hosts Australia.
SL vs ENG score and live streaming details
The SL vs ENG live streaming is available on Sony Sports 2 and Sony Sports 2 HD in India. Fans who wish to watch the match online can do so on the SonyLIV app and website. Other than that, you can keep an eye on the SL vs ENG score and updates on the websites and social media channels of the English and Sri Lankan cricket boards.
Image source: BCCI Twitter
Updated 16:16 IST, January 16th 2021