Joe Root has added another major record to his remarkable Test career. The England captain went past Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar to become the player with the most half-centuries in Test cricket, reaching the landmark during England’s eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the third Test at Edgbaston.
Root remained unbeaten on 62 from 69 balls as England successfully chased 130 on the fourth day. His innings included nine fours and helped the hosts recover from an alarming start before completing a 3-0 series whitewash over Pakistan.
Joe Root Goes Past Sachin Tendulkar
Root entered the match level with Tendulkar on 68 Test fifties. His half-century at Edgbaston took his total to 69, putting him alone at the top of the all-time list.
Tendulkar, who retired from international cricket in 2013, had scored 68 half-centuries in 200 Test matches. West Indies great Shivnarine Chanderpaul is next with 66, while Rahul Dravid and Allan Border scored 63 each. Ricky Ponting finished his career with 62 Test fifties.
Most Fifties in Test Cricket
| Rank | Player | Test Fifties |
| 1 | Joe Root | 69 |
| 2 | Sachin Tendulkar | 68 |
| 3 | Shivnarine Chanderpaul | 66 |
| 4 | Rahul Dravid | 63 |
| 4 | Allan Border | 63 |
| 6 | Ricky Ponting | 62 |
The record relates specifically to Test innings in which a batter scores between 50 and 99. Tendulkar still has more overall scores of 50 or above because he also registered a record 51 Test centuries, compared with Root’s 41 centuries.
Root Rescues England After Early Shock
England’s chase of 130 looked straightforward on paper, but Pakistan gave the hosts a sudden scare. Mohammad Abbas removed both Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay for ducks in the opening over, leaving England at 2 for 2.
Root and Jordan Cox then took control of the situation. The pair put together an unbeaten 128-run partnership, shutting Pakistan out of the contest. Cox finished unbeaten on 59, while Root struck the winning phase of his innings with the calmness that has defined much of his Test career.
Root did enjoy some fortune. He was bowled off a no-ball during the chase and was later given another life when an edge was not taken. But he made Pakistan pay for those missed opportunities and guided England comfortably to the target.
Another Edgbaston Milestone for Root
Breaking Tendulkar’s half-century record was not Root’s only achievement of the day.
The England star also crossed 1,000 Test runs at Edgbaston, becoming the first player to reach that landmark at the Birmingham venue. More significantly, Edgbaston became the fourth Test ground where Root has scored more than 1,000 runs.
He had previously crossed the mark at Lord’s, Old Trafford in Manchester and The Oval. Only Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting had previously managed to score more than 1,000 Test runs at four different venues.
Root Continues to Close in on Major Test Records
At 35, Root is already among the most successful Test batters in cricket history.
He entered the Edgbaston Test as the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket, behind only Tendulkar. The Indian legend remains the all-time leader with 15,921 Test runs. Root has also moved into third place for the most Test appearances, with the Pakistan match being his 169th Test.
Only Tendulkar, with 200 Tests, and former England fast bowler James Anderson, with 188, have played more matches.
Root’s latest record therefore adds another dimension to the growing comparison between his career and Tendulkar’s extraordinary Test numbers.
England Complete 3-0 Whitewash Over Pakistan
The individual milestone came alongside a commanding team result.
England won the third Test by eight wickets to complete a 3-0 clean sweep over Pakistan. They had already taken the opening two Tests at Headingley and Lord’s before sealing the series at Edgbaston.
Pakistan showed some late resistance in the match, particularly through debutant Razaullah, who produced an explosive 81 in the second innings. But England’s overall dominance across the series proved too much for the visitors.
Ollie Robinson finished as England’s Player of the Series after taking 21 wickets, while Dan Lawrence was named Player of the Match in the Edgbaston Test.
For Root, however, the final day will be remembered for another entry in the record books. His 69th Test fifty moved him ahead of one of cricket’s greatest-ever batters and strengthened his position among the finest Test players of the modern era.
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