Joe Root vs South Africa (Source@AFP)
Joe Root is arguably the best England batter ever and is going through a purple patch currently. He has been brilliant in Test cricket and now in ODI cricket too, he is showing his class against South Africa.
Joe Root Continues His Purple Patch Against South Africa
In the third ODI, the right-handed batter has hit his 19th ODI hundred and has reached the landmark in just 95 balls. The century has helped him equal Babar Azam, Brian Lara and Mahela Jayawardene's tally of 19 centuries in ODI cricket.
He already has the most hundreds for England in the 50-over format and now has 58 international centuries to his name. Joe Root has got to his 19th ODI hundred in his 172nd innings while Babar Azam has the same number of centuries in 131 innings. Overall, it is Joe Root's third ton in ODI format in 2025 and so far this year, the English superstar has scored runs at an average of 70.71.
Root And Bethell Masterclass Take England Over 400
The century at Rose Bowl is also his 10th hundred at home in ODI cricket and the knock has helped England post a massive score in the third ODI after losing the initial two matches of the series. In this match, Joe Root walked out to bat after the loss of Ben Duckett in the ninth over and kept the scoreboard ticking in his usual way. He formed an able partner in the form of Jacob Bethell who also scored a century and it helped England go past 400 at the end of their 50 overs.
Root eventually departed on the exact score of 100 and scored 72 of his runs against pace bowlers. His strike-rate against spinners was also over 100 and overall, it was a kind of knock that has made Joe Root one of the modern-day greats.
