The ongoing Chennai Test between India and England has been tough for Virat Kohli’s team. The bowlers have toiled hard on this placid track in Chepauk and England skipper Joe Root has been in his elements as he continues his great form. On Saturday, Joe Root became the first player in the history of Test cricket to hit a double century in his 100th Test and he continued to pile on the records. During the course of his amazing knock, there was one particular moment that was incredibly funny. However, the main protagonist of this was not Joe Root, but India cricket team wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
Rishabh Pant has been a source of constant motivation and his chirping behind the stumps has kept fans entertained on social media and on TV. With the match being played at the empty Chepauk stadium due to the coronavirus restrictions, anything that can be spoken on stump mic or loudly is amplified. However, Rishabh Pant was at the receiving end of a joke during the course of Joe Root’s knock. Ravichandran Ashwin bowled a flighted delivery on off stump and Joe Root attempted the slog sweep. However, he top-edged the ball but it landed safely behind the wickets. However, when Joe Root played the shot, Rishabh Pant ran in a completely opposite direction and this ‘brain-fade’ moment has resulted in massive trolling on social media.
Records galore for Joe Root
Joe Root scored his fifth double century and he is now level with his former captain Alastair Cook who also has five double centuries to his name. However, Joe Root trails Wally Hammond in the number of double centuries, with Hammond scoring seven 200+ scores in his career.
The England skipper thus became the first player in the history of Test cricket to score a double century in his 100th Test. The previous highest score was 184 by Inzamam-ul-Haq during the Bangalore Test against India in 2005 which Pakistan won. Joe Root also became the first cricketer from England to reach his double century with a six.
The Yorkshire right-hander joined Matthew Hayden, Dean Jones, Mike Gatting and Graham Fowler as the other overseas players to have scored a double ton at the MA Chidambaram stadium. However, Joe Root registered the highest score by an England player in Chepauk when he was dismissed for 2018, beating the previous highest score in Chennai of 210 which was hit by Dean Jones of Australia in that epic tied Test in 1986.
