Joe Root Ties Alastair Cook with 33rd Test Century

Joe Root achieved his 33rd Test century during the second Test against Sri Lanka, equaling Alastair Cook for the most centuries by an English batter. This performance not only solidified Root's status as the leading active Test century maker, surpassing his contemporaries Kane Williamson and Steve Smith, but also put him in the spotlight against India's Virat Kohli, who has 29 Test tons. Former England captain Michael Vaughan compared the two players' statistics on social media, highlighting Root's superior numbers in runs, average, and centuries, which sparked backlash from Indian fans. Root's latest innings, where he scored 143 runs, has also positioned him as a contender to surpass Sachin Tendulkar's Test run record for England. However, critics pointed out that Root's achievements come with more matches played than Kohli. Vaughan's post, while aimed at celebrating Root, was perceived as a dig at Kohli, reflecting the ongoing rivalry between fans of the two players.