Ashes, 1st Test: Root goes past Vaughan for most Test runs by England player in calendar year

Brisbane:  England captain Joe Root has gone past former skipper Michael Vaughan for most Test runs by a player from the country in a calendar year. Vaughan scored 1,481 runs at an average of 61.14 back in 2002, including six centuries and two half-centuries. Root went into tea on day three of the first Ashes Test against Australia at The Gabba level with Vaughan on 26 not out.

In the final session, Root pulled for a single to deep backward square leg off off-spinner Nathan Lyon after tea on day three of first Ashes Test at The Gabba to bring up the milestone. Later on, Root passed the half-century mark in the final session on day three as his 118-run partnership with Dawid Malan took England to 179/2 in 55 overs.

The 30-year-old has been in excellent form this year, making six centuries, including two double centuries at Galle and Chennai. Root started the year with 426 runs in two Tests against Sri Lanka, and followed it up with 386 runs in the four-match series in India. At home, Root made 97 runs in two matches against New Zealand followed by amassing 564 in four Tests against India.

Root also holds three of the top five overall yearly aggregate spots of all England batsmen in Test history, having previously scored 1477 runs in 2016 and 1385 runs in 2015. After surpassing Vaughan, Root is currently sitting on number eight on the list of players who have scored the most Test runs in a calendar year.

Root still has the chance to go for the world record as the second and third Ashes Tests will happen at Adelaide and Melbourne respectively before the year ends. Pakistan’s Mohammed Yousuf sits top of the list with 1788 runs in 2006 at an astonishing average of 99.33 while the legendary West Indies batter Viv Richards is second with 1710 runs in 1976 at a whopping average of 90.

(IANS)