World No. 1 Test batter Joe Root hit his 35th Test century on October 9, during the third day of England’s first Test against Pakistan at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Root reached the milestone with a single on the second ball of the 63rd over in England’s first innings.
This century marked a significant achievement, as it pushed him past cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara, Mahela Jayawardene, and Younis Khan, who all have 34 Test centuries each. With this feat, Root now holds the No. 6 position on the list of players with the most Test hundreds.
Sachin Tendulkar still holds the record for the most centuries in Test cricket, with 51 centuries in 200 matches during his illustrious 24-year career for India. Jacques Kallis of South Africa ranks second with 45 centuries, followed by Australia’s Ricky Ponting (41), Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara (38), and India’s Rahul Dravid (36). Root is now just one century behind Dravid and stands as the leading active player in this prestigious group.
Joe Root’s century against Pakistan also allowed him to equal Sri Lankan batter Kamindu Mendis’ record of scoring five Test centuries in 2024. So far this year, England’s Ollie Pope, India’s Shubman Gill, and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson have each scored three centuries. Root’s consistency throughout the year highlights his dominance and form in the Test arena.
