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👉 Check Today's Deals on Amazon India## Joe Root’s Impressive Ashes Performance
### Historic Milestone in the Ashes Series
**New Delhi**: [Joe Root](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/joe-root) showcased his extraordinary skills during the fifth Ashes Test, scoring a masterful 160 runs. This remarkable performance solidifies his status as one of England’s cricketing greats, as he displayed no signs of slowing down at 35 years old. With this inning, Root achieved his **41st Test century**, placing him alongside **Ricky Ponting** on the all-time century list.
### Dominance at the Crease
Root, who now ranks second only to **Sachin Tendulkar** in overall Test runs, expertly struck 15 boundaries from 242 balls. His efforts contributed significantly to England’s total of 384 in their first innings, further demonstrating his prowess on the field.
### Looking Forward: Potential Ashes Return?
As England’s next Ashes tour of Australia is slated for four years from now, Root will be 39, leading many to speculate whether this will be his final outing in Australia. While taking in the crowd’s appreciation as he exited the field, Root was quick to dismiss any notions of a farewell.
“I think you might be looking into it a little bit too much,” he responded when questioned about his possible departure from the international stage. He expressed gratitude for the unwavering support throughout the series, emphasizing that it was a way of saying thank you to the fans.
### Future Aspirations
When pressed about the possibility of returning for another Ashes series in Australia, Root remained hopeful yet non-committal. “Who knows? We’ll see. I’d love to, but we’ll see how things unfold in time,” he stated, reflecting his passion for the game.
### Climbing the Records
This century marked Root’s second in the ongoing series, following his impressive unbeaten 138 in the Brisbane day-night Test. This performance also ended a long wait for a hundred in Australia over three previous Ashes tours. Currently, Root is on track to challenge Tendulkar’s record tally of 15,921 Test runs, having accumulated 13,937 thus far.
### Praise from Peers
Former Australia coach **Darren Lehmann** praised Root significantly, stating he is “the best player outside of Bradman” following the Sydney innings. “I’ve said it before, once he ticks off the hundred in Australia, he’ll be the greatest player outside of Bradman, statistically,” Lehmann remarked on ABC radio. He believes that Root will surpass Tendulkar in the number of centuries and set new records, attributing this to Root’s fitness and dedication.
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