Joe Root Equals Ponting: A Legendary Century Milestone That Redefined Cricket History

Elite Club Entry: Joe Root Equals Ricky Ponting as the Second-Most Prolific Century Maker in Cricket”

England’s star batsman Joe Root scored a magnificent century in the fifth Test match of the Ashes series being played here. This is his second century in this series. Thanks to Root’s excellent innings, England posted a score of 384 runs in their first innings. However, the second day of this Test match was also affected by bad weather and rain, and play was called off early. Only 45 overs of play were possible on the first day.

Labusmagne-Stokes May tug-of-war

On Monday, the second day of the match, a tense exchange was witnessed between Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne and England captain Ben Stokes. In a video that went viral on social media, Stokes can be seen telling Labuschagne to “shut up.” However, both players calmed down after the umpires intervened.

He become the batsman with the most runs scored in the last 5 years.

Since 2021, they have been dominant – Joe Root has become the batsman with the most runs in Test matches, followed by Australia’s Steven Smith in second place and Travis Head, also from Australia, in third.

The difference between Root and Sachin Tendulkar is now 11 centuries and 1985 runs.

Joe Root scored his 41st century in his Test career. With this, he equaled the record of former Australian captain Ricky Ponting. Now, only Sachin Tendulkar (51) has more Test centuries than Root. Therefore, Root needs 11 more centuries to break Sachin’s record.

Root needs 1985 runs to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most Test runs. Root has 13,937 runs in 163 Tests, while Sachin has 15,921 runs in 200 Test matches.

Joe Root vs Ricky Ponting – Century Legends Compared

This isn’t just another stat in a scorecard; it is a definitive shift in the pantheon of cricket greats. As the “Rootometer” continues to tick upward, the question is no longer whether Joe Root is England’s greatest—it’s how long until he stands alone at the very top of the world stage.

History doesn’t repeat itself — it recognizes greatness.
When Joe Root raised his bat and matched Ricky Ponting, it wasn’t just a century—it was a statement. A statement that modern cricket has found its quiet conqueror. No theatrics. No noise. Just relentless excellence, year after year.
As debates ignite and timelines explode, one truth is undeniable: Joe Root is no longer chasing legends—he is standing beside them.
And this chapter? It may not be the final one.

Legends don’t arrive with noise. They arrive with numbers.

How many centuries does Root have now?

Joe Root has now equalled Ricky Ponting’s tally, placing him second on the all-time list of international centuries, behind only Sachin Tendulkar.

🔹 Whose record did Root equal?

Joe Root equalled the legendary record of former Australia captain Ricky Ponting for the second-most centuries in international cricket.

🔹 Why is this milestone special?

This achievement confirms Joe Root’s longevity, consistency, and dominance across formats, elevating him into cricket’s all-time greats category.

🔹 Can Root break the record for most centuries?

Given his age, fitness, and current form, Joe Root has a realistic chance of surpassing Ponting outright and potentially challenging the all-time record.