IND vs ENG 4th Test: Joe Root Breaks Record For Most Centuries Against India With Splendid Knock in Ranchi

Joe Root on Friday (February 23) broke the record for most Test centuries against India with a splendid knock that also saw the England batter register his 31st ton in the longest format.

Root achieved the feat during day one of the fourth Test against India at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi. The England's golden boy rescued the side from 112 for 5 inside the first session to over 300 at stumps.

His unbeaten knock of 106 from 226 balls saw him return to form after struggle for big runs earlier in the season. Root, who started the Test level with Australian Steve Smith on 9 centuries against India, added another to become the player with most Test hundreds vs India.

With the third hundred against India, Root now has 10 hundreds, his most against a single opposition in the red ball game. Here is a look the players with most hundreds against India:

Most Test Hundreds vs India

10 - Joe Root (England)
9 - Steve Smith (Australia)
8 - Vivian Richards (West Indies), Garfield Sobers (West Indies) & Ricky Ponting (Australia)
7 - Everton Weekes (West Indies), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Michael Clarke (Australia), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies), Clive Lloyd (West Indies), Alastair Cook (England)

This was also Root's third Test hundred in India with his previous two coming in Rajkot in 2016, and the most recent one being a double hundred in Chennai. This century also puts him one behind Smith and Kane Williamson for most Test hundreds among active cricketers.

Most Test Centuries by active cricketers

32 in 172 innings - Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
32 in 191 innings - Steve Smith (Australia)
31 in 254 innings - Joe Root (England)
29 in 191 innings - Virat Kohli (India)
19 in 176 innings - Cheteshwar Pujara (India)

Coming back to the match, England lost half their side before lunch after debutant Akash Deep took three wickets to put India in the driver's seat. However, Root forged a 113-run stand with Ben Foakes (47 off 126 balls) to take England past 200.

Mohammed Siraj ended the stand and removed Tom Hartley also early, but Root was able to get past his century by stitching another stand with Ollie Robinson to take England to 301/ 7 at stumps on day one.