England's batting mainstay, Joe Root, has etched his name deeper into cricket's history books, achieving a monumental career milestone during the ongoing Ashes series in Australia. The stylish right-hander has become only the ninth batter in the history of the sport to amass 22,000 runs in international cricket.
A Landmark Innings at the MCG
Root reached the historic figure during the second innings of the fourth Ashes Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). His knock of 15 runs was enough to propel him past the 22,000-run mark. The 34-year-old has now accumulated these runs in 380 international matches across formats, maintaining an impressive average of 49.21.
This achievement places him in an exclusive pantheon of batting legends. The only players ahead of Root on the all-time list of international run-scorers are Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara, Virat Kohli, Ricky Ponting, Mahela Jayawardene, Jacques Kallis, Rahul Dravid, and Brian Lara.
Root's Ashes Campaign and England's Fightback
Root's tour of Australia this season has been a tale of personal triumph amidst team struggle. He finally broke his long-standing century drought on Australian soil, scoring an unbeaten 138 in the first innings of the second Test at Brisbane. However, despite that brilliant ton, his series tally stands at 234 runs from four Tests.
The fourth Test, however, brought a much-needed victory for the touring English side. In a dramatic Boxing Day Test, England defeated Australia by four wickets, registering their first win of the tour. Opting to bowl first, England skittled Australia for just 152, thanks to a five-wicket haul by pacer Josh Tongue. England's reply was shaky, collapsing to 110 and conceding a 42-run lead.
Australia then struggled again on a challenging pitch, managing only 132 in their second innings, setting England a target of 175. The chase was anchored by solid top-order partnerships. Although there was a late stumble, Harry Brook and Jamie Smith held their nerve to guide England to a memorable victory.
Ending a Long Australian Dominance
This win holds significant historical weight. It brought an emphatic end to Australia's formidable unbeaten streak against England on home soil. Before this defeat, Australia had won 16 consecutive Tests against England in Australia, a dominant run that included victories in the first three matches of this Ashes series to retain the urn.
While England's victory in Melbourne has made the series scoreline 3-1 in favour of Australia, it has provided a morale-boosting consolation and proved they can compete and win in tough Australian conditions. The focus now shifts to the final Test, where England will aim to build on this momentum, and stars like Joe Root will look to add more runs to their legendary tally.
