Joe Root records his 50th international hundred; equals Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara in Test centuries list

Red-hot English batter Joe Root smashed his 50th international century to shatter multiple records during the second Test match against Sri Lanka on Saturday, August 31. The veteran became the only second among active cricketers to reach the historic 50-hundred mark in international cricket.

The 33-year-old Root scored his 33rd Test century in the first innings and continued his sensational form in the second innings by smashing his record 34th Test hundred. He broke Alastair Cook's all-time record to register the most centuries for England. 

Root also equalled legendary Younis Khan, Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara and Mahela Jayawardene's Test century tally and is now only behind five cricketers in the exclusive list. 

Most Test hundreds

Sachin Tendulkar - 51 in 329 innings

Jacques Kallis - 45



in 280 innings

Ricky Ponting - 41 in 287 innings

Kumar Sangakkara - 38 in 233 innings

Rahul Dravid - 36 in 286 innings

Joe Root - 34 in 265 innings

Younis Khan - 34 in 213 innings

Sunil Gavaskar - 34 in 214 innings

Brian Lara - 34 in 232 innings

Mahela Jayawardene - 34 in 252 innings 

Root also became the leading run-scorer in Test cricket history at the iconic Lord's after reaching the 98-run mark. He broke the legendary England batter Graham Gooch's record of 2015 runs and also smashed his 7th Test century at the venue, the most by any cricketer. 

Meanwhile, Root took only 111 balls to reach a hundred, his fastest Test century, as England took a stunning 482-run lead in the second innings. The record-breaking Root scored 103 runs off 121 balls with the help of 10 fours.