Joe Root stuns Indian fans with hundred in 100th Test, considered biggest threat in series

The India vs England series has gotten underway and just the first day has already given us a bunch of iconic moments. India's top pacer Jasprit Bumrah — after 2 years of playing test cricket for India — finally made his home debut, Rishabh Pant made his presence felt behind the wickets and Kohli showed great sportsmanship on the field. The highlight of the day though, was none other than the English skipper, Joe Root who put together a fighting 128* off just 197 deliveries to give his boys a superb platform to build off of when they take the field on Day 2. 

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Joe Root 100th Test sees skipper score valiant ton for England

While already an achievement in itself, this century is sure to have an even more special place in Joe Root's heart — for it has come on the occasion of his milestone 100th Test match. After his two (three if you count the double ton) series-winning centuries in Sri Lanka last month, it was clear that Joe Root was a threat to India's World Test Championship aspirations. Of course, Root is no stranger to the Indian pitches, having made his Test debut here back in 2012. He may be the opposition, but in the cricket-mad country that is India, Root has garnered high praise from fans of the game.

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Joe Root vs Kohli

Both, Joe Root and Virat Kohli play crucial roles as the No. 4s in their side's batting lineups. While Kohli has a definite advantage while playing at home, Root has the numbers advantage over Kohli, having made 8,249 Test runs to Kohli's 7,318. The two are perfectly matched in almost everything else, sharing the same high score, and similar averages and strike rates, making this tussle a very interesting one.

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India vs England live: India vs England 1st Test update

After a slow start, England have come out all guns blazing in Chennai. Despite losing their first two wickets cheaply — Rory Burns 33(60) and Dan Lawrence 0(5) — the visitors have stood firm to build up a total of 263-3. The last wicket to fall was that of opener Dom Sibley who was trapped for an lbw by Jasprit Bumrah after a valiant knock of 87(286). At 128* captain Joe Root is expected to lead the charge for England as they come on to bat on Saturday morning.

Indian fans can enjoy the India vs England live match on the Star Sports 1 and 1 Hindi. The India vs England series will also be available as a live stream on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website. The India vs England 1st Test live scores and updates can be found on the websites and social media handles of the BCCI and England Cricket.

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Image Credits: England Cricket Twitter