5 batters with most half-centuries in Test cricket ft. Joe Root
Seasoned England batter Joe Root scored a fine half-century in the second innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford in Manchester. Having contributed a swift 42 off 57 in the first innings, he followed it up with an unbeaten 62 off 128 in the second essay, guiding England to a five-wicket win.
Chasing a tricky target of 205 in the fourth innings, the hosts were in a spot of bother at 70-3. However, Root combined with Harry Brook (32) and Jamie Smith (39) to lift the Englishmen to a hard-fought victory. The former England captain hit only two fours in his dogged 183-minute knock.
Following his innings in the Manchester Test, Root moved up to number three on the illustrious list of batters with the most half-centuries in Test cricket. On that note, let's take a look at five batters with the most fifties in Tests.
#5 Rahul Dravid (63)
Former India captain and ex-head coach Rahul Dravid is fifth on the list of batters with the most half-centuries in Test cricket. Dravid featured in 164 Test matches (286 innings) and notched up 63 fifties.
He scored a memorable 95 on Test debut against England at Lord's in 1996. Dravid was dismissed in the nervous 90s as many as nine times during his Test career and returned unbeaten once.
Overall, Dravid amassed 13288 runs in Test cricket at an average of 52.31, with the aid of 36 centuries. His best of 270 came against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in April 2004.
#4 Allan Border (63)
Former Australian captain Allan Border also notched up 63 half-centuries in a memorable Test career. Border played 156 Test matches (265 innings) and scored 11174 at an average of 50.56. He was the first batter to breach the 11,000-run mark in the Test format.
While the former left-handed batter hit 27 hundreds in his Test career, he was dismissed in the 90s only one. On two other occasions, he returned unbeaten in the 90s. Border's best of 205 came against New Zealand in Adelaide in 1987.
#3 Joe Root (64)
Former England captain Root is third on the list of batters with the most fifties in Test cricket. The right-hander's half-century against Sri Lanka in Manchester was his 64th in the format.
Root has featured in 144 Tests (253 innings) and has 12,131 runs at an average of 50.33, with 32 hundreds. The 33-year-old has been dismissed in the 90s three times, twice at home and once away. Root's best of 254 came against Pakistan in Manchester in July 2016.
#2 Shivnarine Chanderpaul (66)
West Indies legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul is second on the list of batters with the most fifties in Tests. He played 164 Test matches (280 innings) and scored as many as 66 half-centuries.
Overall, the former West Indies left-handed batter amassed 11,867 runs at an average of 51.37, with 30 centuries. Chanderpaul was dismissed in the 90s four times in Tests, while he was unbeaten twice.
His career best of 203* came against South Africa in Georgetown in March 2005. Chanderpaul also scored 203* versus Bangladesh in Mirpur in November 2012.
#1 Sachin Tendulkar (68)
Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for most centuries as well as half-centuries in Test cricket. He ended his international career with 200 Test matches (329 innings), amassing 15921 runs, averaging 53.78, with 51 hundreds and 68 half-centuries.
Tendulkar's tally of fifties includes 10 scores in the 90s. He was dismissed in the nervous 90s six times in home Tests and four times in away games. The Master Blaster's best Test score of 248* came against Bangladesh in Dhaka in December 2004. He had begun the year with 241* against Australia in Sydney.