Joe Root equals Ricky Ponting’s record for third-most Test centuries during Ashes final
The right-handed batter scored his 41st Test hundred at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday, achieving the milestone in his 163rd Test match.
The right-handed batter scored his 41st Test hundred at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday, achieving the milestone in his 163rd Test match.
The world’s top-ranked Test batter had endured three previous Ashes tours Down Under without tasting success, but that personal drought finally ended as England chased down a target of 175 in a dramatic two-day contest.
With the opening Test in Perth starting November 21, Root has again become a focal point in local discussions, especially given that he has yet to score a Test century in Australia.
Root heads into the series holding a firm lead at the top of the ICC Test batting rankings, but the seasoned campaigner has yet to conquer one of his biggest hurdles, performing consistently against Australia away from home.
While Root is winless in Tests against the Aussies away from home across 14 previous contests, it's the fact he has never scored a century on Australian shores that still concerns the 34-year-old heading into this year's tour.
He succeeds right-handed batter Joe Root, who resigned from the role in April this year, in becoming the 81st captain of the England men's Test team.
A report in iNews said that England men's cricket's new managing director, Rob Key had travelled to Durham for a "face-to-face" meeting with Stokes to "discuss the role", and that the 30-year-old all-rounder could be officially unveiled as England's new Test skipper "in the next 48 hours".
Stokes has been heavily linked with the vacant England Test captain's position and has spoken about the role as well following his friend and teammate's decision to step down
Eoin Morgan, who played a Test match in February 2012 against Pakistan at Dubai, has backed Stokes to take the role of captaining England in the longest format of the game.
Stokes will be the number one candidate for the responsibility as he is already the vice captain of the team and is a regular starter in the side when fit.
