Smokin' Joe!

England Skipper Root Sizzles With Ton In His 100th Test, Adds 200 For Third Wicket With Sibley To Send India On A Leather Hunt

- Dwaipayan.Datta

Chennai: The smile on Joe Root’s face got broader as the day progressed. So did the bat in his hand. It’s a pity that fans weren’t allowed entry at the Chepauk to appreciate the class and composure of the 30-year-old Yorkshireman, who battled cramps to dig deep trenches for his country, in the Chennai heat, as international cricket returned to India.

In the process, Root became the third England player to score a century in his 100th Test and helped his team to 263-3 at the end of the first day. The total looks quite imposing on a track that is likely to crumble as the game goes on. Root’s 200-run third wicket partnership with opener Dom Sibley (87), who got out in the last over of the day, failing to deal with a Jasprit Bumrah yorker, ensured that the visitors have a strong platform to call the shots from here.

There wasn’t much more than India could have done to stop Root (batting 128) on Friday. He came in to bat at 63-2 just before lunch when England had lost two quick wickets. Things could have gone horribly wrong for the visitors if India had made use of a half chance to get Root run-out soon after. But once he survived and came back for the second session, India just didn’t know how to deal with the England captain, who scored his third Test century on the trot.