IND vs ENG, 1st Test: Joe Root became the fifth captain to hit hundred in 100th Test

In-form captain Joe Root celebrated his 100th Test with his third successive Test hundred in 2021 as England took control on Day 1 of the first Test against India at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday. Joe Root became only the fifth captain to hit a century in his 100th Test match thus joining the likes of Colin Cowdrey, Inzamam ul Haq, Ricky Ponting(2) and Graeme Smith.

Root had made his debut against India in the 2012-13 tour and also played his 50th Test against the same opponent in Vishakapatnam in 2016. Root received a cap from team-mate Ben Stokes for featuring in his milestone 100th Test in the first match of the series against India. Root is also only the 3rd England player after Colin Cowdrey & Alec Stewart to score a ton in their 100th Test.

England nearly squandered a strong start, losing two



quick wickets in the morning session, but Dominic Sibley and Root denied India any success after lunch with their unbroken 150-plus stand at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Sibley was batting on 67, including nine boundaries as Root - after surviving a close run-out chance early in his knock and having smashed a double hundred and a century in his previous two Tests in Sri Lanka - scored his 20th Test hundred.

Earlier, Root won the toss and elected to bat, avoiding the potentially tricky task of batting in the fourth innings on a crumbling wicket.

Rory Burns and Sibley made a steady start with a 63-run opening stand before R Ashwin struck to get rid of Burns for 33 who fell while attempting a reckless reverse-sweep. Dan Lawrence joined him soon after in the pavilion, trapped lbw by Jasprit Bumrah without scoring.