Follow UsJoe Root has batted brilliantly against India in the third Test at Lord’s, as he absorbed the pressure from India’s disciplined pace bowling and ensured that England didn’t lose wickets in clumps after losing two in an over against Nitish Kumar Reddy’s medium pace.
In the process, he scored his 30th fifty-plus score against India in Test cricket. As he did that, he became the first-ever batter to score more than 3000 runs against India in Test cricket.
While other batters like Javed Miandad, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and Steven Smith average more than him against India for batters who have scored at least 2000 runs, his average of 57.87 has come in an era when pitches in India became much more result-oriented. The same situation happened in England until 2022, when England started preparing flatter surfaces under Ben Stokes.
In terms of the number of international half centuries against India, only Ricky Ponting, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara have more than his 30 half centuries. Meanwhile, in Test cricket, he has the most 50-plus scores against India already (23).
With the pitch at Lord’s remaining slow and flat, Root would look to convert his fifty into his 11th Test century against India. If he does that, he’ll equal Smith’s record of 11 Test centuries against India.
3000+ runs against an opponent in Tests
5028 - Don Bradman vs ENG
3636 - Jack Hobbs vs AUS
3630 - Sachin Tendulkar vs AUS
3548 - Allan Border vs ENG
3417 - Steve Smith vs ENG
3269 - David Gower vs AUS
3214 - Gary Sobers vs ENG
3200 - Steve Waugh vs ENG
3001* - Joe Root vs IND