Joe Root breaks Sachin Tendulkar's record as England captain continues purple patch in Ashes 2021-22

England captain Joe Root has been in sensational form in Test cricket this year. He has been the highest run-getter in the format in 2021 and is continuing his purple patch in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 against Australia. After impressing with the bat in the first Test, Root notched up another half-century in the ongoing second Test against the Aussies in Adelaide on Saturday.

Batting first, Australia once again dominated the proceedings on the first two days of the Test match as they rode on Marnuc Labuschagne's hundred (103) and half-centuries from David Warner (95), Steve Smith (93) and Alex Carey (51) to post a strong total of 473 runs on the board in their first innings. 

England once again were under pressure as they lost openers Haseeb Hameed (6) and Rory Burns (4) cheaply towards the end of Day 2 to find themselves reeling on 12/2. However, captain Root combined with Dawid Malan on Day 3 (Saturday) to steady the ship for the visitors.

Both Root and Malan notched up their respective half-centuries and are currently unbeaten out in the middle as England look to stage a fightback. With his fifty, Root also achieved an elusive milestone as he broke the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record to go 5th on the list of most runs scored by any batter in a calendar year in Test cricket.

Tendulkar was placed fifth on the list for his 1562 runs in 2010. Root surpassed him and is now in the closing distance of Michael Clarke, who is at the fourth spot with 1595 runs in 2012.

Most runs in a calendar year in Test cricket:

1) Mohamamd Yousuf (2006): 1788 runs
2) Viv Richards (1976): 1710 runs
3) Graeme Smith (2008): 1656
4) Michael Clarke (2012): 1595
5) Joe Root (2021): 1563* runs
6) Sachin Tendulkar (2010): 1562 runs
7) Sunil Gavaskar (1979): 1555 runs

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While Root and Malan have added over 130 runs between them for the second wicket so far, England still have a long way to go in nailing down Australia's first-innings total of 473 runs and will need a couple of more big partnerships from their other batters to remain in the pink-ball Test.