India vs England: Joe Root reaches landmark, beats Kevin Pietersen, Alastair Cook

England captain Joe Root became the 15th English Test player to cross the 6000 Test runs during the first day of the first Test against India at Edgbaston. He was also the fourth fastest to reach the landmark for the Three Lions.

Wally Hammond, Len Hutton, Ken Barrington are the top three on the list. Root has taken 127 innings to reach the feat.

The current skipper though is the quickest to reach the milestone in terms of time from his debut in the year 2012.

Root has been one the fulcrums of the England batting lineup in the recent past and his Test average reads a handsome 52. When he got to this feat, he had scored 40 fifties and 13 centuries.

Winning the toss, the England captain elected to bat first under slightly overcast conditions on a damp pitch.

“Looks a good surface. Some moisture which should burn off, looks good to bat. The preparations have been good, it’s time to deliver now. We are have confidence but this is a new game. The selectors gave us good options and I am happy with the personnel we have,” Root said at the toss.

England got off to a sedate start before R Ashwin got one ball to snake away and beat Cook’s defence to dislodge his stumps. Keaton Jennings and Joe Root then took charge of the proceedings and saw off the session till lunch.

Mohammed Shami broke the partnership after lunch as he first got rid of Keaton Jennings and then beat the defence of Dawid Malan to trap him in front of the wickets.

Root held fort and went on to score his 41st Test half century

First Published: Aug 01, 2018 20:05 IST