ENG vs. SL: Joe Root enters record books as England?s joint-highest centurion in Test cricket at the end of 1st innings at Stumps

England cricketer Joe Root scored his 33rd century in the history of Test cricket, and he emerges as the joint-highest century-getter for England with the same number of hundreds as former skipper Alastair Cook.

Joe Root played a wonderful inning, while he came in with both opener Dan Lawrence and skipper Ollie Pope back to the pavilion with very few runs. Root kept the innings at an end until Gus Atkinson, who came in at 8, stood firm alongside him.

Root played the best of his innings with 143 runs, and Atkinson scored a stunning maiden Test fifty under pressure as he shared a partnership worth remembering.

Joe Root scored his 33rd century, which adds to his 16 centuries in the last 44 months of cricket. Root was placed behind all the players from Fab-4, as he just had 17 tons at the start of 2021 and now has surpassed all of them to lead the chart with 33 centuries ahead of Smith's (32), Williamson's (32) and Kohli?s (29).

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Root emerged as England?s highest run-getter on English soil as he now went past the likes of Alastair Cook, who had 6568 runs, and also English legend Graham Gooch.

Joe Root is now behind the likes of Alastair Cook and Kumara Sangakara, who have 12472 and 12400 runs, respectively, and Root is just behind by 198 and 126 runs to these legendary batters.

He is also considered the best contender, to have been the best to break the invincible record of the great Sachin Tendulkar, who has 15921 runs in the format the modern legend is behind by just 3500+ runs, and the 33-year-old has much of a wide career awaiting him.

England ended their tally of runs at a score of 358/7, as Brook and Jamie went early this time with Atkinson?s maiden fifty still making him unbeaten on 74* off just 81 deliveries. He will come to bat in the 2nd day as England resume their innings.