Joe Root set a new record of most runs by a captain in a calendar year during his 50-run knock in England’s first innings on the opening day of the third Ashes Test against Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday (December 26).
The right-hand batter scored 1680 runs at an average of 62.22 and a strike rate of 57.04 with six hundreds and four fifties in 28 innings of 15 Test matches till the end of England’s first innings this year.
South African Graeme Smith who made 1656 runs at an average of 72.00 and a strike rate of 65.81 with six hundreds and the same number of fifties in 25 innings of 15 Tests in 2008 held the previous record.
There is a chance that 2021 finishes as a record-breaking year for Joe Root, and record-equalling for England, but for significantly different reasons.
Joe Root currently sits third in the list for most runs scored by a batter in a calendar year, and needs 109 runs in the second innings, to go ahead of Mohammad Yousuf's golden 2006 mark.
His team, meanwhile, is one defeat away from equalling the record for most Test losses in a calendar year, which is currently at nine, registered by Bangladesh in 2003.
** Pat Cummins became the 20th bowler to complete a century of wickets in Australia. England opening batter Haseeb Hameed’s wicket was his 100th in 41 innings of 22 Test matches in Australia. His bowling average, 20.51 in Australia is the best of the 20 bowlers to have picked up 100 or more Test wickets in Australia, while his strike rate, 46.26 is second best.
** Haseeb Hameed’s duck was England’s 50th this year. They're five away from breaking their own record for most Test ducks by a team in a calendar year (54 in 1998).
** Scott Michael Boland became the 463rd player to represent Australia in Tests. The right-hand batter and right-arm fast-medium bowler from Melbourne made his Test debut after playing 79 first class matches, the most first-class matches played by a bowler before Test debut for Australia. He also played 14 one-day internationals and three Twenty-20 Internationals before making his Test debut. The 32-year old, also became the fourth Indigenous Test cricketer after Faith Thomas, Jason Gillespie and Ashleigh Gardner.
MOST RUNS BY SKIPPER IN A CALENDAR YEAR IN TESTS
(Batter - Year - M - I - N.O - Runs - AVG - H.S - S/R - 100 - 50 - 0)
Joe Root (England) - 2021 - 15 - 28 - 1 - 1680 - 62.22 - 228 - 57.04 - 6 - 4 - 1;
Graeme Smith (South Africa) - 2008 - 15 - 25 - 2 - 1656 - 72.00 - 232 - 65.81 - 6 - 6 - 1;
Michael Clarke (Australia) - 2012 - 11 - 18 - 3 - 1595 - 106.33 - 329* - 65.96 - 5 - 3 - 0;
Ricky Ponting (Australia) - 2005 - 15 - 28 - 5 - 1544 - 67.13 - 207 - 61.31 - 6 - 6 - 1;
MOST RUNS IN A CALENDAR YEAR IN TESTS
(Batter - Year - M - I - N.O - Runs - AVG - H.S - S/R - 100 - 50 - 0)
Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan) - 2006 - 11 - 19 - 1 - 1788 - 99.33 - 202 - 62.64 - 9 - 3 - 1;
Viv Richards (West Indies) - 1976 - 11 - 19 - 0 - 1710 - 90.00 - 291 - 72.85 - 7 - 5 - 0;
Joe Root (England) - 2021 - 15 - 28 - 1 - 1680 - 62.22 - 228 - 57.04 - 6 - 4 - 1;
Graeme Smith (South Africa) - 2008 - 15 - 25 - 2 - 1656 - 72.00 - 232 - 65.81 - 6 - 6 - 1;
Michael Clarke (Australia) - 2012 - 11 - 18 - 3 - 1595 - 106.33 - 329* - 65.96 - 5 - 3 - 0.
