The 34-year-old surpassed three legends in one day as he cemented his place among the greats – and helped England strengthen their lead

Joe Root accidentally broke Siraj’s WHOOP wristband with his bat while stealing a run during Day 3 of the 4th Test, moments before surviving an LBW appeal.

Just one man stands in the way of Joe Root and cricketing history. With his latest batting masterclass of 150, the England star became the second highest run-scorer in test cricket behind India great Sachin Tendulkar.

In a game that so often idolises the spectacular and the brash, Joe Root's journey reminds us that true greatness is forged in patience, humility, and the relentless pursuit of self-improvement.

No airs, no graces – just a wave of the right hand and a slight nod of the head from one of sport’s most self-effacing figures, as Joe Root humbly acknowledged a standing ovation when he passed Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest run scorer in Test history.

The elegant Root, 34, is a throwback to a different era of batting, an orthodox "touch" player who does not need to smash the ball around to score quickly. Former England captain Alastair Cook hailed him as "England's greatest" and a "genius" when he surpassed his own record tally of 33 Test hundreds for England last year.

Born in December 1990, more than a year after Sachin Tendulkar made his iconic Test debut in Karachi, England's Joe Root grew up doing what most cricket-loving kids of his generation did -- trying to copy the Little Master.

Joe Root moved to second in the all-time top run scorer charts to help England surpass India's first innings total on day three of the fourth test at Old Trafford, the hosts 433-4 at tea on Friday, leading by 75 runs.