England’s Joe Root added another feather to his cap, scoring his 32nd Test century on the fourth day of the second Test match against the West Indies. Root’s milestone places him just one century short of Sir Alastair Cook, who retired in 2018 with 33 Test hundreds.
Alongside his 32 centuries, Root has also amassed 62 half-centuries, with only India’s Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid surpassing him in this regard.
Root now shares the record for 32 Test centuries with Australia’s Steve Smith and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson. However, Root’s achievement is particularly notable as he has played more matches than his counterparts. Despite this, all three players are widely regarded as some of the finest Test cricketers of their generation.
Root’s career total now stands at 11,940 runs in Test cricket. Should he maintain his current form for another two years, he is poised to join the ranks of the greats like Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, and Jacques Kallis. He is a mere 60 runs away from becoming the second Englishman, after Cook, to reach the 12,000-run milestone in Test cricket.
In this match, Root scored 122 runs off 178 balls against a resilient West Indies bowling attack. His performance was complemented by Harry Brook, who achieved his fifth Test century, scoring 101 runs in just his 14th match. Brook, a young and promising talent, demonstrated his adaptability and maturity, which bodes well for England’s future in Test cricket.
Despite a spirited effort in their second innings, the West Indies were unable to overcome England’s dominance. They set a target of 385 runs but faltered after a strong start. Once the first wicket fell, their batting lineup collapsed, reminiscent of a house of cards. Shoaib Bashir was the standout bowler for England, claiming five wickets in only his second Test match, and his first at Trent Bridge in two decades.
This match also marked England’s first game without their star bowler, James Anderson, who announced his retirement from international cricket last week. Nonetheless, England displayed resilience and skill, fighting hard to secure a comprehensive victory over the West Indies.
It was a day of celebration for England, marked by Root’s historic century and a hard-fought team effort. The West Indies, on the other hand, will need to reflect on their performance and strategize for consistent improvement to compete with strong teams like England, especially on their home turf.
