Joe Root's Bat Fires Again: Now Just One Step from Sachin Tendulkar's World Record - Punjabi News

Published on: 04 Jan 2026 at 09:29 AM

Joe Root’s Bat Fires Again: Now Just One Step from Sachin Tendulkar’s World Record

Published by: Gill Bikram

Joe Root’s Bat Fires Again: Now Just One Step from Sachin Tendulkar’s World Record

Summary:
With this half-century, Joe Root has surpassed West Indies legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul for the most half-centuries in Test cricket. This is Root’s 67th half-century in Tests, while Chanderpaul had 66.

England’s star batsman Joe Root notched another half-century in the ongoing fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney. With this knock, he is now just one step away from Sachin Tendulkar’s world record.

In this Sydney Test, England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bat first. After losing their top three batsmen—Jack Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Zak Crawley (noted as “Jacklein Bathl” in reports)—for 57 runs, Joe Root and Harry Brook steadied the innings. The pair forged a century stand for the fourth wicket, with both crossing 50 during this partnership.

With this half-century, Joe Root has overtaken West Indies great Shivnarine Chanderpaul for the most Test half-centuries. This marks Root’s 67th in Tests, surpassing Chanderpaul’s 66.

Now, only Sachin Tendulkar—”the God of Cricket”—stands ahead, with Root trailing by just one. Tendulkar holds the world record with 68 Test half-centuries.

Root needs one more half-century to equal Tendulkar’s mark, which he could achieve in this match. However, breaking the record outright will require patience.

Most Half-Centuries in Test Cricket:

68 – Sachin Tendulkar
67 – Joe Root*
66 – Shivnarine Chanderpaul
63 – Rahul Dravid
63 – Allan Border
62 – Ricky Ponting
58 – Jacques Kallis
57 – Alastair Cook

England has already lost the five-Test Ashes series. Australia won the first three to seal an unassailable lead. England bounced back with a win in the fourth—their first Test victory on Australian soil in 15 years—and will push for another in the fifth to end 2-3.