IND vs ENG: Joe Root makes history at Lord's, soars past Ricky Ponting, Steve Smith; joins Don Bradman in elite club

On the second day of the 3rd Test match against India at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground, Joe Root continued his incredible run of success and further cemented his name in cricket history with his 37th Test century. With the historic performance, the English mastermind surpassed a number of cricketing greats and cemented his place among the best batsmen of the contemporary age.

Root, who had anxiously sat on 99 not out at the close of play on Friday, wasted no time in reaching his hundred. He dispatched the very first ball of the day from Jasprit Bumrah to the boundary, much to the delight of the packed Lord's crowd, ensuring he did not become the first of the 18 batsmen left unbeaten on 99 overnight to be dismissed without reaching the century mark.

The century was a masterclass in technique and temperament, and it was his 11th against India in Test cricket. This particular ton was his eighth on home soil against the formidable Indian bowling attack, a feat that sees him move past Australian greats Ricky Ponting and Steve Smith, who both have seven centuries at home against India.

This remarkable achievement also places Root in elite company, equalling the legendary Sir Don Bradman as only the second player in Test history to score eight centuries at home against a single opponent. Bradman famously scored eight tons in Australia against England.

With this hundred, his 22nd in England, Root now stands alongside Sri Lankan icon Kumar Sangakkara and Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar for the joint-second most Test centuries in a single country. He is now just one behind the record of 23, jointly held by Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), and Ricky Ponting (Australia). Furthermore, Root extended his own record for the most centuries at the historic Lord's ground to eight, further distancing himself from Graham Gooch's six.

The 34-year-old's 37th Test ton moves him past Rahul Dravid and Steve Smith (36 each) on the all-time list. He now sits fifth, with only Kumar Sangakkara (38), Ricky Ponting (41), Jacques Kallis (45) and Sachin Tendulkar (51) having scored more centuries in the longest format of the game.

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