Ashes: Joe Root Breaks Yet Another Record, Goes Past Graeme Smith In Elite Test Cricket List | Cricket News

England skipper Joe Root has scripted yet another Test record. During Day 1 of the ongoing third Ashes Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, Root surpassed former South Africa skipper Graeme Smith’s record of scoring most Test runs as captain in a calendar year. Root, with 1,680 runs, now tops the list ahead of Smith, who had scored 1,656 runs as the captain of the Proteas in 2008. Root’s tally is also the third-highest by a player in a calendar year behind Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf (1,788 runs in 2006) and former West Indies skipper Sir Vivian Richards (1,710 runs in 1976).

England were reeling at 128 for six at Tea after Australian bowlers had dominated the proceedings in Melbourne.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins, who did not play the second Test in Adelaide, took three wickets in the morning session, dismissing Haseeb Hameed (0), Zak Crawley (12) and Dawid Malan (14), respectively.

Root salvaged some pride for the visitors, scoring a fine 50 off just 82 balls, before Mitchell Starc got the better of him, as England found themselves reeling at 82 for four.

Cameron Green then dismissed the dangerous Ben Stokes (25) while Nathan Lyon got the wicket of Jos Buttler on the stroke of Tea, with England six down at Tea on Day 1.

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Jonny Bairstow will be joined by Mark Wood when England resume their innings after tea on Boxing Day.

England are trailing Australia 0-2 in the five-match series after being outplayed in the first two Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide, respectively.