Joe Root Equals Rahul Dravid's Record For Most Centuries In Test Cricket With 36th Ton

Joe Root equalled Rahul Dravid's record for the most Test centuries on Sunday, December 8. The England cricketer achieved his 36th century in Test cricket, matching the Indian legend's tally. This milestone was reached during the third day of the second Test against New Zealand at Wellington's Basin Reserve.

Root scored an impressive 106 runs off 130 balls, setting a formidable target for New Zealand in their fourth innings. At 33 years old, Root now stands behind only four cricketing legends: Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, and Kumar Sangakkara. His next goal is to surpass Sangakkara's 38 Test centuries.

• Sachin Tendulkar (India) - 51 centuries in 329 innings
• Jacques Kallis (South Africa) - 45 centuries in 280 innings
• Ricky Ponting (Australia) - 41 centuries in 287 innings
• Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) - 38 centuries in 233 innings
• Joe Root (England) - 36 centuries in 276 innings
• Rahul Dravid (India) - 36 centuries in 286 innings

This recent century also puts Root ahead of Steve Smith from Australia and Kane Williamson from New Zealand. Both players have scored 32 Test hundreds each. Virat Kohli from India completes the top four active players with the most Test tons, having scored 30.

Root has also matched his own record for most Test centuries within a single year. His latest hundred against New Zealand marks his sixth this year. Earlier hundreds were scored against India, West Indies, twice against Sri Lanka, and a double century in Pakistan.

Top Test Centuries in a Calendar Year

• 9 Centuries - Mohammad Yusuf (Pakistan)
• 7 Centuries - Viv Richards (West Indies), Aravinda de Silva (Sri Lanka), Ricky Ponting (Australia), Sachin Tendulkar (India)
• 6 Centuries - Denis Compton (England), Garfield Sobers (West Indies), Matthew Hayden (Australia), Michael Vaughan (England), Ricky Ponting (Australia), Damien Martyn (Australia), Graeme Smith (South Africa), Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), David Warner (Australia), Steve Smith (Australia), Joe Root (England), Jonny Bairstow (England)

Apart from Root, both Steve Smith and Ricky Ponting have achieved six centuries in a year twice. In fact, Root previously accomplished this feat in 2021. He joins Denis Compton and Jonny Bairstow as the only England players to score six Test hundreds within a calendar year.

The England batter is just one century away from tying for the second-most Test hundreds in a single year. With at least one more match remaining before year's end, he aims to join Sir Vivian Richards, Sachin Tendulkar, Aravinda De Silva, and Ricky Ponting with seven hundreds each.