As England all-time leading Test cricket run-scorer Alastair Cook stepped down from captaincy after the 2016-17 tour of India, Joe Root was all set to take the charge of the Three Lions. Right from a young age, Root displayed tremendous maturity to acclaim himself to be a leader of the lot. However, along with the authority, came a heap of responsibilities. He remained consistent but started receiving constant criticism for poor conversion rate of century from a fifty. He made his Test debut against India at Nagpur in December 2012, followed by T20I beginning at Mumbai. He played his first ODI match in the same series against Inia at Rajkot in January 2013.
With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli putting up a masterclass against Australia in the ongoing white-ball series between India and Australia, let us have a look at the top five players to reach 50 international centuries the fastest.
Joe Root, still chasing a maiden century in Australia, is under the spotlight ahead of the Ashes. Steve Harmison backs him for a career-defining series and predicts a 3-1 win for England, calling the current squad fearless and ready to challenge Australia.
Veteran England batter Joe Root recently came forward and talked about the possibility of him scoring a century against Australia down under in the upcoming Ashes 2025-26 that is slated to kick off from November 21.
Shubman Gill hit an unbeaten 129 vs West Indies in New Delhi, surpassing Joe Root for most international tons in 2025 with seven. India posted 518/5 before reducing WI to 107/4, putting them on course for a possible innings victory.
Raindra Jadeja holds the record for the most Player of the Match awards for India in Test cricket this decade. When it comes to international cricket, he stands joint-second with Joe Root, Harry Brook and Ben Stokes, among others. Travis Head tops the list.
Shubman Gill has played five innings extra and is likely to extend his lead in the upcoming Test series against the West Indies but for now, the Indian Test captain is at the top of the runs list for the year. Gill hasn't had the best of Asia Cups, but was just able to do enough to get to the feat.
Australia are set to host England for the Ashes series in November this year. The anticipation is already huge around the series and former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden has claimed that he will walk around MCG nude if England's in-form batter Joe Root doesn't score a century in the Ashes.
Prasidh Krishna starred with the ball alongside Mohammed Siraj in the fifth Test against England as he picked 8/188 in the Oval Test that India won by six runs. Krishna had a heated exchange with Joe Root during the fifth Test.
Monty Panesar warns England may rely on part-time spinners due to a lack of red-ball opportunities. He shares Ashes insights, backs Joe Root for a century in Australia, and urges careful management of Ben Stokes' bowling workload to avoid injury.
Former England cricketer Nasser Hussain highlighted that the number three spot in Test cricket no longer belongs to specialists. He cited examples of Shubman Gill and Joe Root to explain that players these days prefer the number four spot.
England vs South Africa: Following their Test series against India, England host South Africa for a white-ball series. The opening ODI takes place at Leeds. Notably, Joe Root was dismissed early in the first match after Ryan Rickelton took a brilliant catch.
Over the years, there have been several spectacular players who have made quite the impact on cricket with their bat, continuing on the same, let us have a look at the top 6 fastest players to reach 50 international centuries.
Steve Smith praised Joe Root’s recent form but noted his lack of a Test century in Australia, calling it a goal Root likely wants to achieve. Ricky Ponting called the stat an anomaly, praising Root’s evolution into a great through consistency and adaptability.
Joe Root’s stunning Test form has earned praise from Kane Williamson, who admires his longevity and run-scoring feats. With Kohli retired and others evolving, Root stands out as the Fab Four’s leading light, showing no signs of slowing down.
Check out the list of the top 5 run-getters in international cricket in 2025. Only one Indian features in the list, while three England cricketers are present.
India Test skipper Shubman Gill has lost his place in the top 10 of the latest ICC Test rankings for batters. He scored 754 runs in the five-match Test series against England and also won the player of the series award. Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal has jumped to the fifth position.
Joe Root slammed his 39th Test century during the fifth Test against India at the Oval. Root equalled former England skipper Alastair Cook in a major unwanted record with his century coming in a losing cause.
Star England batter Joe Root has been exceptional for his side in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 against India. With a century in the second innings of the fifth test, Root went on to become the batter with the most test tons at home.
A lot of runs have been scored in the ongoing Test series between India and England. The hosts are on the cusp of chasing down a target of over 370 runs for the second time in this series. In the process, the Test series has equalled a 96-year-old record. Here are the details:
Star England batter Joe Root continued to rack up records after his exceptional century in the second innings of the fifth and final test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 against India. Through his ton, he crossed 500 runs in the series as well.