On the first day of the Sydney Test, England captain Joe Root played his 66th fifty-plus innings at the number-4 position. With this performance, he surpassed Mahela Jayawardene and is now only one step behind Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis.
AUS vs ENG: The final Test of the Ashes 2025-26 series between Australia and England has begun at the Sydney Cricket Ground. In this match, England captain Joe Root achieved a significant milestone on the first day of play. He not only rescued his team from a difficult situation but also secured an important place in the records of Test cricket.
In this report, we will tell you what Joe Root has achieved, what his record is at the number-4 position, and how far he is behind legendary players like Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis.
Joe Root's Brilliant Performance in the Sydney Test
On the first day of the Sydney Test match, England won the toss and decided to bat first. The team initially lost three wickets for 57 runs. In such a situation, experienced batsman Joe Root, along with Harry Brook, stabilized the innings and laid a b foundation for the team.
Joe Root completed his half-century in the second session on the first day. With this half-century, he registered a major record in the history of Test cricket while batting at the number-4 position.
Joe Root Creates a Record for Fifty-Plus Innings at Number-4 Position
Joe Root achieved his 66th fifty-plus score while batting at number-4 in the Sydney Test. With this achievement, he surpassed former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene. Mahela had played 65 fifty-plus innings at number-4 in Test cricket.
Now Root is only behind Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis in this list. Sachin Tendulkar has played 102 fifty-plus innings at number-4, while Jacques Kallis has 71 fifty-plus innings to his name.
The players with the most fifty-plus innings in Test cricket at number-4 are:
- Sachin Tendulkar (India): 102 fifty-plus innings
- Jacques Kallis (South Africa): 71 fifty-plus innings
- Joe Root (England): 66 fifty-plus innings
- Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka): 65 fifty-plus innings
- Brian Lara (West Indies): 55 fifty-plus innings
This performance has given Joe Root a special place among batsmen batting at the number-4 position.
Sachin Tendulkar's Record Still Remains a Challenge
Although Joe Root has broken many records, the record for the most runs in Test cricket still belongs to Sachin Tendulkar. Root has so far scored 13849 runs in Test cricket. In contrast, Sachin has a total of 15921 runs to his name. This means that Root still needs to score another 2072 runs to overtake Sachin.
Before the start of the Ashes 2025-26, many fans hoped that Root would break this record with his bat in this series. However, only one century from Root's bat has been seen in the first four matches.
Special Aspects of Joe Root's Batting
Joe Root has always been praised for his consistency and technique in Test cricket. He is capable of extending his innings even in difficult circumstances and rescuing the team from tricky situations. The same quality was seen in him in the Sydney Test.
His strength in batting at number-4, correct timing, and ability to score runs place him in the category of great batsmen in Test cricket.
