Joe Root surpasses Sachin Tendulkar [Source: AFP]Joe Root has unleashed yet another batting masterclass for England, this time against Pakistan on Day 4 of their third Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Batting at number four and still arriving to the crease after the first over of the second England innings, the skipper punched out a sizzling half-century to steer his side to a comfortable win.Overcoming early jitters, Root stabilized England’s sinking ship with an unbeaten 128-run partnership with fellow half-centurion Jordan Cox.Through the course of his fifty, the legendary batter also surpassed all-time great Sachin Tendulkar for a huge world record in Test cricket.Joe Root goes past Sachin Tendulkar for most 50s in TestsEngland run machine Joe Root notched up the 69th half-century of his Test career by composing 62* runs off 69 balls with eight elegant boundaries on Day 4 against Pakistan. Also Read- Sachin Tendulkar vs Virat Kohli vs Joe Root- Century Race Timeline From DebutIn doing so, Root surpassed former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar in recording the highest number of half-centuries in Test history. Tendulkar announced his retirement from the format way back in late-2013, concluding his career with 68 fifties. Here is a look at eight players with the highest number of half-centuries to their names in Test cricket.Most 50s in Test cricket:BattersSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableNumber of fiftiesSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableJoe RootSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table69SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableSachin TendulkarSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table68SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableS ChanderpaulSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table66SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableRahul DravidSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table63SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableAllan BorderSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table63SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableRicky PontingSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table62SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableJacques KallisSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table58SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableAlastair CookSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table57SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableJoe Root scripts Edgbaston history, joins Ricky Ponting and Jacques KallisJoe Root also became the first cricketer in history to complete 1,000 Test runs at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Previously, former England skipper Alastair Cook held the record for scoring most runs at the venue with 869 runs to his name from 16 innings at an average of 57.93Moreover, Edgbaston has now become the fourth venue where Root has minted 1,000 or more runs in the format, joining Lord’s, The Oval and Manchester’s Old Trafford.Additionally, the 35-year-old has now joined former Australian captain Ricky Ponting and legendary South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis in becoming one of only three players in history to aggregate over 1,000 Test runs at four different stadiums.Root inches closer to Sachin Tendulkar’s greatest recordApart from recording the highest number of Test half-centuries, Joe Root is also chasing Sachin Tendulkar for the latter’s greatest record in history. After compiling scores of 8 and 62* in Birmingham, the legendary right-handed batter extended his Test tally to 14,278 runs in 309 innings spanning 169 Tests at an average of 50.45.He is currently trailing only Tendulkar (15,921 runs) in the all-time leading run-scoring charts in the format. As of now, Root continues to remain Test cricket’s second most successful batter, after having surpassed Ricky Ponting and Jacques in quick succession last year.He is also England’s greatest Test batter by a landslide, finding himself nearly 2,000 Test runs ahead of his former captain and ex-teammate Alastair Cook (12,472 runs).Also Read- Razaullah Leaves Edgbaston Bleeding In The Middle Of Pakistan Vs England Test
