5 highest run-getters vs India in Test cricket history ft. Joe RootÂ
England performed beyond expectations to go 1-0 up in the ongoing five-match Test series against India. The Ben Stokes-led side won the first Test at Hyderabad by 28 runs.
England's fightback in their second innings was the main reason for their success, with Ollie Pope scoring a match-winning knock of 196. Much was expected from Joe Root has well, but he failed to deliver and was dismissed for just two runs, courtesy of a nip-backer by Jasprit Bumrah.
However, Root's short-lived stay was enough to earn him a monumental record - he is now the batsman with most runs against India in Test match cricket.
Joe Root has now amassed 2,557 Test runs against India, two more than former Australia captain Ricky Ponting's tally of 2,555 runs. The Yorkshire batsman made 29 in the first innings of the Hyderabad Test.
In the annals of cricket, facing the Indian side has consistently been challenging. Not only are the players who have scored the most runs against India highly gifted, but they have also left a lasting impression on the game.
It speaks something about their cricket legacy that they can consistently perform well against such a formidable opponent as India.
On that note, let's take a brief look at the top five highest run-getters in red-ball cricket against India.
#5. Javed Miandad - 2,228 runs in 28 matches
Former Pakistan skipper Javed Miandad needs no introduction when it comes to his exploits against India in Test cricket. He was, quite simply, a thorn in the side of Indian bowlers for over a decade, carving out a legacy that few Pakistani batters have managed to replicate.
In 28 Tests against India, Miandad amassed a colossal 2,228 runs. His average of 67.51 is also the best among all batters who have scored over 1,800 Test runs vs. India.
In the 39 innings Miandad batted against his neighbouring country, he was dismissed only four times within the one-digit mark. He hammered five centuries and 14 fifties, which is also the most by anyone.
#4. Clive Llyod - 2,344 runs in 28 matches
Sir Clive Llyod is one of the all-time greatest batters to represent the West Indies. The legendary batter's strokeplay and astute leadership left an indelible mark on the West Indies cricket.
Lloyd's Test career began in 1966, and his maiden appearance came against India at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.
He announced himself on the grand stage with a confident 82 in the first innings, followed by an unbeaten 78 in the second, helping the West Indies secure a comprehensive victory.
Over the course of his 28 Tests against India, Lloyd amassed a staggering 2,344 runs at an impressive average of 58.60.
This tally includes a career-best score of 242*, achieved at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai during the 1974/75 series. His seven centuries and 12 half-centuries against India stand as a testament to his consistency.
#3. Alastair Cook - 2,431 runs in 28 matches
It is a challenging task to be an opener for England. With the immense seam movement against the new ball, the opposition bowlers always remain in the game.
However, the heights that Sir Alastair Cook achieved was nothing less than out of ordinary. With his robust technique and his penchant to score huge runs, the former English skipper ended his career as England's highest-ever run-getter in Test cricket (12,472 runs).
Against India, Cook brought out his best as he accumulated 2,431 runs at an average of 47.66. He was one of the few English batters who excelled in Indian conditions as well. Cook averaged more than 51 on Indian soil.
Cook is also one of those rare players who made his Test debut and also played his final Test against India. Interestingly, the Gloucester-born batter hammered centuries in both of those memorable games.
No other left-handed batter has accumulated more Test runs against India than Cook.
#2. Ricky Ponting - 2,555 runs in 29 matches
Ricky Ponting, the Tasmanian tiger, was a force to be reckoned with on any cricket field. Against India, however, he seemed to possess an extra gear. His Test record against India stands as a testament to his prowess, earning him the moniker of one of India's biggest batting nightmares.
Despite playing more matches against Ashes rivals England, India were Ponting's favourite opponents, scoring more against the subcontinent side than any other over his illustrious career.
Ponting blasted more than sixty runs in the final eight of his ten innings against India. In a total of 51 innings against India, Ponting racked up 2,555 runs at an average of 54.36, which is higher than his career average of 51.85.
No other batter notched more 50+ scores against India than Ponting, who has 20 scores above 50, including eight tons.
#1. Joe Root - 2,557 runs in 26 matches
The latest holder of the prestigious award, Joe Root surpassed Ricky Ponting in the Hyderabad Test. A traditional top-order batter, the Yorkshire player is at his menacing best when he bats against India.
He is another player on the list who made his Test debut against India and embarked on his journey with a confidence-boosting 73.
His exquisite timing and shot selection have often left even the most skilled Indian bowlers bewildered. Root's comfort against both spin and pace has been his major weapon over the course of his journey since 2012.
The Hyderabad Test was Root's 26th match against India. The 33-year-old has so far amassed 2,557 runs at an incredible average of 60.88. His nine hundreds against India are also the joint-most, alongside Steve Smith (19 matches).
Although Root has dominated India in his home conditions, he has performed exceedingly well in India as well. His knock of 218 in Chennai was an innings full of composure and class.