India vs England, Chennai Test: Joe Root achieves THIS special milestone after fifty in his 100th game

Joe Root is in the form of his life on the current tour of the sub-continent. The England skipper managed to smash a double century and a century in the two Tests against Sri Lanka in Galle as he ended with over 426 runs and took his average in Asia to over fifty. On the occasion of his 100th Test during the first game against India at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai, Joe Root scored his 50th half-century when he thumped a short ball from left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem to the deep midwicket fence. When he notched up his milestone, he registered several milestones. 

Joe Root became the second England player after Sir Alastair Cook to hit fifty scores of fifty in Tests. Alastair Cook has 57 fifties, with Sachin Tendulkar leading the list with 68. Joe Root has now scored a fifty in his first Test as well as his 50th Test in addition to his knock in the ongoing 100th Test. In his debut Test against India in Nagpur in 2012, Joe Root hit 73 and an unbeaten 20 to help England draw the match in Jamtha and register a famous series win. In India, his consistency has been simply amazing.

Ever since he started his career in India, Joe Root has had scores of 73,20*, 124, 4, 53, 25, 15, 78, 21, 77, 88, 6 and now this fifty. His average in India is 58 with six fifties and one century in 11 innings. Joe Root was presented with a special cap on the occasion of his 100th Test as he became the 15th player from England and the third youngest overall to play 100 Tests after Alastair Cook and Sachin Tendulkar.

Root special in Chennai

The first two Tests will be played in Chennai while the remaining two Tests will be played in Ahmedabad. In the last tour in 2016/17, England was comprehensively beaten 4-0 in the five-Test series and it saw a change in captaincy with Alastair Cook stepping down. With Joe Root having won all five of his Tests so far in Asia, the trip to India will see the ultimate test of his leadership and batting skill. India always has had happy memories for Joe Root and they will be determined to put up a better fight as compared to 2016. It will not be easy against an Indian side who are on a high after beating Australia in their home conditions despite missing so many injuries.