Root's golden run: Listing down his top five centuries since 2021

Since the start of 2021, Root has played 22 Test matches, accumulating 2371 runs at an average of 57.82, with 10 centuries and 4 half-centuries to his name.

The feat is all the more impressive as they have been aggregated in different conditions, with his side often struggling in the batting department and Root often ending up as the lone warrior for England.

This blistering run of form has seen him scale the 10,000-run landmark in the longest format and now seen him regain the top position in the MRF Tyres ICC Men's Test Player Rankings for batters. His exploits in the previous calendar year also led to him being voted the 2021 ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year.

Here, we list down the very best of his five centuries during this golden period:

228 v Sri Lanka in Galle, 2021

Root started 2021 off with a bang against Sri Lanka in Galle.

On a track that was assisting the spinners, Root showcased his class with a marathon knock of 228 off only 321 deliveries. His sheer brilliance helped the visitors take a massive first-innings lead – England bowled out Sri Lanka for 135 before posting 421 courtesy of Root's knock.

His innings consisted of 18 fours and 1 six, batting in the middle for 476 minutes in the sweltering heat. The knock proved to be a match-winning one, with England comfortably winning the contest by seven wickets, chasing down a target of 74.

218 v India in Chennai, 2021

Root surpassed his knock in Galle, with another brilliant double ton – this time against India in Chennai.

India were riding high on the momentum of the Test series victory in Australia and had the quality of Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah in their bowling unit, but none of them had an answer to the mastery of Root in the first Test of the series.

Root's 218 was a masterclass in batting. He swatted away a quality bowling attack, both pace and spin, with utter ease. This continued his form from the series in Sri Lanka, where he was again in sensational touch.

Batting for 377 deliveries, the Indian bowling had no answers to the Root conundrum, as he set up a 227-run victory for the visitors. This was also a sign of things to come for the remainder of the year, as the England skipper played knock after knock of the highest calibre, irrespective of the opposition.

180* v India at Lord's, 2021

Root's torment of the Indian bowlers continued, this time in his own backyard. After a ton in the first Test at Nottingham, Root followed it up with a knock of the highest order in the second Test at Lord's.

After India had posted 364 in the first innings, the pressure was on the then-England skipper to hold together the English batting line-up. Displaying his craft, Root scored an unbeaten 180* in 321 deliveries, with 18 boundaries, staying out in the middle for 533 minutes.

The feat was all the more impressive as it came against a pace quartet of Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj on a pitch that was aiding the seamers. The knock helped England take a small but valuable first innings lead.

Unfortunately for Root, a collapse in the second innings saw the hosts crumbling to a 151-run defeat.

115* v New Zealand at Lord's, 2022

Playing in his first game after giving up the captaincy, Root proved that he was still the most vital cog in the England team with his heroics against New Zealand in the first Test.

The visitors set England a challenging target of 277 to chase down – a tough feat with the quality of bowlers at their disposal and the poor run of form that the hosts were enduring.

England were already four down with only 69 runs on the board. But Root then stitched together two vital partnerships, first a 90-run stand with skipper Ben Stokes and then an unbeaten 120*-run effort with Ben Foakes.

His magical knock of 115* came in only 170 deliveries against the threat of Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson. His heroics helped England snap their streak of 9 matches without a victory, starting off the Ben Stokes era with a bang.

176 v New Zealand at Trent Bridge, 2022

Root's run continued in the second Test against the Kiwis, with another impressive display of his batting range in the second Test in Nottingham. The hosts were under massive pressure after New Zealand posted a mammoth first innings score of 553 on the board.

Root's aggressive knock of 176 came in only 211 deliveries, with a reverse scoop against Tim Southee being a particular highlight of the contest. Dashing away 26 fours and 1 six, Root's knock helped England get near the New Zealand total, posting 539 on the board.