Joe Root marks 100th Test with superb century as England dominate first day against India

The timing of Test cricket’s long-awaited return to terrestrial TV could barely have been sweeter. 

On the grand occasion of his 100th Test – and first available free to watch at home – Joe Root put on a clinic, again, registering his third century in as many matches, and 20th overall. In the opening Test of arguably cricket’s most challenging series, Root continued to lead by example. 

Root is operating on a rare plane. He arrived in India in the form of his life, having made 228 and 186 to set up England’s win in Sri Lanka. The exhibition continued as he became the ninth player – and third Englishman, after Colin Cowdrey and Alec Stewart – to make a century in his 100th Test.

But for the wicket of Dom Sibley to the final ball and 15 mad, bad minutes that brought Root to the crease just before lunch, this was a very fine day for England. As it drew to a close, Root lay on the turf with his opposite number – as captain and batting kingpin – Virat Kohli nursing his cramp after a slog-swept six. He deserved the lie down. He made 128 in the day in the stand of 200 with the obdurate Sibley, and his Test average had ticked back above 50. 

Having located a newfound ruthlessness, Root knows the job is barely even half done in this first innings. He remembers Chennai in December 2016, England’s last Test before he became captain, when they made 477, only to concede 759 and lose by an innings. He knows it takes just a moment of madness to spark a collapse, that Kohli and his formidable batting lineup cannot wait for their turn, and that India’s attack is in a different league to Sri Lanka’s. Again, there is a world-class spinner, R.Ashwin, supported by two others. But now, in Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma, there are two seamers skilled enough to find reverse swing in the match’s first session.

For all the riches India were able to bring back into their side (headlined by the captain Kohli), they do dearly miss Ravi Jadeja. When Axar Patel went down injured too, they shuffled in Shahbaz Nadeem, for his second cap, and retained Washington Sundar. Neither threatened England and Root took them on – with the sweep, especially – in a way he simply did not with Ashwin. 

Believe it or not, Root began the day looking nervous. As a wonderful ambassador for his sport, he did plenty of promotional talking this week, and last night his team-mates, led by Ben Stokes, held a ceremony for him. Root admitted the occasion got to him. At the toss, which he won, he stumbled on his words and actually forgot the team he had picked. And when he came to the crease during England’s tricky spell, he played a couple of false strokes and was almost run out. 

In that quarter-hour, Rory Burns played an injudicious reverse-sweep off Ashwin, then Dan Lawrence was pinned lbw by Jasrit Bumrah’s reverse. Burns and Sibley had done a good job until then, and the 63 they shared amounted to more than England’s four opening partnerships in Sri Lanka combined. Burns, back from paternity leave, was looking increasingly assured, but got carried away, exposing Lawrence, then Root.

The captain did not look flustered for long, but he took his time to get going. He and Sibley weathered a superb spell of bowling after lunch from Ashwin, Bumrah and Sharma. Root had just 12 from his first 54 balls, but galloped along in the final session, taking 83 from 97 balls.