Joe Root equals Ricky Ponting, achieves major record for first time in career during SCG ton in Ashes

England icon Joe Root proved his critics once again as he slammed his second hundred in the Ashes series during the ongoing fifth Test in Sydney. Root, the modern-day Test great, hit his 41st Test ton and has now equalled Ricky Ponting. 

Coming into the Ashes, there were a lot of talks of how Root could fare in the series, as he had not scored a single ton in Australia. However, he broke the drought with a masterful century in the Day-Night Test in Brisbane earlier. 

Root has now slammed another brilliant ton in the first innings of the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. This was his 41st Test century as he now sits alongside Ricky Ponting on third spot for most tons in the longest format. 

Most centuries in Test cricket:

1 – Sachin Tendulkar: 51 centuries in 200 matches

2 – Jacques Kallis: 45 centuries in 166 matches

3 – Joe Root: 41 centuries in 163 matches

4 – Ricky Ponting: 41 centuries in 168 matches

5 – Kumar Sangakkara: 38 centuries in 134 matches

Root becomes fourth English player to achieve major record

Meanwhile, Root achieved another major record with his ton at the SCG. The recently turned 35-year-old has become just the fourth England player to score multiple away Ashes tons since 1994/95. 

He joins the list featuring Michael Vaughan (3), Alastair Cook (3) and Jonathan Trott (2). 

Root achieves major record for first time

Root has been in insane form since 2021. He has struck 24 centuries in the format since 2021, with the second best being at 10. Meanwhile, for the first time in his career, Root has converted each of his last five Test half-centuries into tons. He had previously converted four in a row from 2022 to 2024. 

Root is now just shy of the all-time England record. The most consecutive half-tons converted into centuries for England are six, done by each of Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook.