Joe Root hammered his 27th Test ton, second in succession, against New Zealand on Day 3 of the ongoing second Test match at Trent Bridge. The former England captain finished the day at 163*, looking all set to add another Test double ton to his profile.
The pristine batting conditions at the venue on Day 4 further solidified Root's chances of a double hundred. Moreover, just a few minutes into the day, the cricketer did a little manoeuvring at the crease and reverse-scooped a charging Tim Southee outside off to hit a six behind the wicket.
Joe Root scoops up Tim Southee; watch the video
The outrageous shot by the Test purist grabbed much attention from across the cricketing community. A legion of fans took to Twitter and praised Root's moment of sheer brilliance. While some compared the English batter's shot with India's Rishabh Pant's reverse-scoop against James Anderson last year, others foresaw an IPL legend in the making.
Here is a look at some of the best fan reactions to Joe Root's absurdity on a seaming Trent Bridge Day 4 morning:
ENG vs NZ 2nd Test live updates
The former English captain managed to add just 13 to his overnight score of 163*. Following his dismissal at 176, the rest of the host's batting line-up crumbled, adding just 23 runs for the final five wickets.
New Zealand, enjoying a first-innings advantage of 14, lost their first wicket in the first over of their second batting recital.
At the time of publishing, the visitors reached 27-1 from 9 overs, with opener Will Young and number 3 batter Devon Conway occupying the crease.