In Sydney, England’s star batsman Joe Root reached a significant milestone by equalling the century record of Australia’s legendary captain Ricky Ponting. Root scored 160 runs in the first innings of the fifth Ashes Test against Australia, marking his 41st Test century.
This century, Root’s first international hundred of the 2026 calendar year, places him jointly third on the all-time list for most Test centuries. It is also his second century on this Australian tour.
In the history of Test cricket, Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar leads with 51 centuries in 329 innings across 200 matches. South African batsman Jacques Kallis is fourth on the list with 45 centuries in 166 Tests.
In the match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, England won the toss and chose to bat first, posting a total of 384 runs in their first innings. Ben Duckett and Jack Crowley put together a 35-run opening partnership. Duckett scored 27 runs off 24 balls before getting out, while Crowley contributed 16 runs.
England lost three wickets by the time their score reached 57. Joe Root then joined forces with Harry Brook, and the pair added 169 runs for the third wicket, taking the team total to 226. Brook made 84 runs.
Root further built crucial partnerships, putting on 94 runs with Jamie Smith, who scored 46, and 52 runs with Will Jacks, who contributed 27. Root faced 242 balls, hitting 15 fours on his way to 160 runs.
For Australia, Michael Neser was the standout bowler, taking four wickets. Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland took one wicket each.
Australia currently leads the five-match series 3-1. England will be looking to win the final Test to reduce the margin of defeat.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
