Joe Root scored his 39th Test hundred during the second innings of The Oval Test against India, entering the all-time top four Test century-scorers in the process.
Chasing 374, Joe Root came into bat early on day four when Prasidh Krishna dismissed Ben Duckett for 54. Root stitched a short 24-run partnership with Ollie Pope (27), before combining with Harry Brook (111) for a game-changing stand of 195 for the fourth wicket. Shortly after Brook was dismissed, Root completed his own hundred, the 39th of his Test career, taking England ever so close to the target.
He was eventually caught behind off the bowling of Prasidh Krishna for 105, with England still needing another 37 runs for victory. India gained momentum following Root's wicket late on day four before bad light and rain stopped play, forcing the match into the fifth day.
5th Test, England vs India
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Joe Root goes past Kumar Sangakkara
Earlier in the series, Root equalled Sangakkara at the fourth spot with 38 centuries when he scored a hundred at Manchester. There, he also went past Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest run-scorer of all time in Test cricket's history.
Also read: Joe Root’s 37 Test tons, ranked from worst to best
Now, with his ton at The Oval, Root has steered clear of Sangakkara, pushing him to fifth spot on the century-scorers list, and occupying the fourth spot all by himself. Only Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45), and Ricky Ponting (41) have more.
Also read: Most runs in a Test series, full list: 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy enters all-time top two
This was also Root's 24th hundred in England. No other batter has scored more Test tons in any particular country. Root went past Mahela Jayawardene, Kallis, and Ponting's records of 23 tons in Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Australia respectively.
He now also has 13 centuries against India, two more than the next best Steve Smith, who has 11. Since the start of 2021, Root has scored 22nd Test hundreds. No other batter has scored more than 10 in this period.
Most Test centuries
| Player | 100s | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Ave | 50s |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 51 | 200 | 329 | 15921 | 248* | 53.78 | 68 |
| Jaques Kallis | 45 | 166 | 280 | 13289 | 224 | 55.37 | 58 |
| Ricky Ponting | 41 | 168 | 287 | 13378 | 257 | 51.85 | 62 |
| Joe Root | 39 | 158 | 288 | 13543 | 262 | 51.29 | 66 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 38 | 134 | 233 | 12400 | 319 | 57.4 | 52 |
| Rahul Dravid | 36 | 164 | 286 | 13288 | 270 | 52.31 | 63 |
| Steve Smith | 36 | 119 | 212 | 10477 | 239 | 56.02 | 43 |
| Sunil Gavaska | 34 | 125 | 214 | 10122 | 236* | 51.12 | 45 |
| Mahela Jayawardene | 34 | 149 | 252 | 11814 | 374 | 49.84 | 50 |
| Brian Lara | 34 | 131 | 232 | 11953 | 400* | 52.88 | 48 |
| Younis Khan | 34 | 118 | 213 | 10099 | 313 | 52.05 | 33 |
| Alastair Cook | 33 | 161 | 291 | 12472 | 294 | 45.35 | 57 |
| Kane Williamson | 33 | 105 | 186 | 9276 | 251 | 54.88 | 37 |
| Steve Waugh | 32 | 168 | 260 | 10927 | 200 | 51.06 | 50 |
| Shivnarine Chanderpaul | 30 | 164 | 280 | 11867 | 203* | 51.37 | 66 |
| Matthew Hayden | 30 | 103 | 184 | 8625 | 380 | 50.73 | 29 |
| Virat Kohli | 30 | 123 | 210 | 9230 | 254* | 46.85 | 31 |
| Don Bradman | 29 | 52 | 80 | 6996 | 334 | 99.94 | 13 |
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