An Ashes Classic: Joe Root’s 41st Century Rewrites the Record Books

Joe Root has once again etched his name deeper into Test cricket’s elite club.

In the final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the England stalwart brought up his 41st Test century, drawing level with Australian great Ricky Ponting to become the joint third-highest century-maker in the longest format.

The landmark hundred came off 146 balls on Day 2, underlining Root’s enduring class on the game’s biggest stage.

It was Root’s second century of the ongoing Ashes series—his first having come in the pink-ball Test in Brisbane—and his 24th Test hundred since 2021, more than any other batter in that period. The numbers tell a story of remarkable consistency and longevity.

Ponting, whose record Root now matches, amassed 13,378 runs in 168 Tests at an average of 51.85, with 41 centuries and 62 half-centuries. Root, meanwhile, is steadily closing in on 14,000 Test runs. He now has 13,777 runs from 162 matches and 296 innings, averaging an impressive 50.83, and trails only Jacques Kallis (45 centuries) and Sachin Tendulkar (51) on the all-time list.

Root’s masterclass also put England firmly in control of the match. The visitors posted a formidable 384 in their first innings, with Root dismissed for a commanding 160. His knock anchored England’s innings and blunted Australia’s bowling attack for long periods.

England’s dominance was built around crucial partnerships. Root and Harry Brook steadied the innings after early wickets, adding a vital 169-run stand for the fourth wicket. Brook fell for a fluent 84, before Jamie Smith contributed 46 to keep the scoreboard ticking. Australia managed to claw back some momentum through Mitchell Starc and Marnus Labuschagne, but the damage had already been done.

Earlier, England had opted to bat after winning the toss. Rain and bad light curtailed play on Day 1, limiting England to just 45 overs. Even so, the visitors seized control whenever conditions allowed, with Root’s assured presence at the crease standing out amid the stop-start nature of the contest.

At Sydney, it was not just another century. It was a reminder that Joe Root, across eras and conditions, continues to belong among the very best the game has produced.

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