Manchester [UK], July 25 : England batter Joe Root overtook legendary Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid to become the third-highest run-getter in the history of Test cricket.
Root achieved this upward movement in the charts during the fourth Test against India on the third day. At the end of first session, Root was unbeaten at 63 in 115 balls, with eight fours.
Now, in 157 Tests, Root has 13,322 runs at an average of 51.04, with 37 centuries and 67 fifties in 286 innings. His best score is 262. He has overtaken South African legend Kallis (13,289 runs in 166 matches with 45 centuries) and Indian icon Dravid (13,288 in 164 matches with 36 centuries).
Scoring 57 more runs will help him overtake legendary Aussie icon Ricky Ponting (13,378 runs in 168 Tests with 41 centuries) to become the second-highest run-getter in the format, with Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar at the top, with 15,921 runs in 200 Tests, including 51 centuries.
Root is the seventh-highest run-getter so far in the series, with 316 runs in four matches and seven innings at an average of 63.20, with a century and two fifties to his name and best score of 104.
A century partnership between Ollie Pope and Joe Root brought England within the touching distance of India's first innings score as the Three Lions finished the first session with a score in excess of 300 runs on day three of the fourth Manchester Test on Friday.
At the end of the first session, England was 332/2, with Pope (70*) and Root (63*) unbeaten. They trail by 26 runs.
At the start of the first session, England was 225/2, with Pope (20*) and Root (11*) unbeaten.
England started off the day with a positive intent, with Mohammed Siraj leaking some runs and India missing out on a run-out chance to remove Root. Eventually, the duo reached their 50-run partnership.
With a fine shot for four against Bumrah, Pope helped England reach 250-run mark in 54.5 overs, as he attempted a fine pull shot through backward square leg, finding a gap in the leg side.
After his 31st run, Root overtook Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis to become the third-highest run-getter of all time.
The relentless grind of Indian pacers Bumrah, Siraj and Anshul Kamboj did not pay off as Root-Pope continued to amass runs at a solid tempo. Pope was back among the runs, bringing up his fifty in 93 balls, with six fours.
Kamnoj missed a chance to dismiss Pope in the 63rd over as wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel could not catch the ball as Pope tried to guide the ball through the third man region. It was a tough chance, but a missed opportunity nonetheless.
A beautiful straight drive by Pope on a full-length delivery by Kamboj helped the duo reach their 100-run partnership in 172 balls.
England reached the 300-run mark in 66.5 overs.
Root also reached his half-century in 99 balls, with six fours. The duo continued to fine runs agains the spin pair of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.
Root and Pope made sure England finished the session on a high.
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