Root Equals Ponting's Century Record

England's batting mainstay Joe Root scored his 41st Test century during the fifth Ashes Test against Australia in Sydney on Monday, drawing level with Australian great Ricky Ponting in third place on the all-time list of most Test hundreds.

Ponting amassed 13378 runs in 168 Test matches at an outstanding average of 51.85, along with 41 centuries and 62 half-centuries.

Root reached his 41st Test century off 146 deliveries during England's first innings on Day 2

of the Sydney Test. It was Root's second hundred of the ongoing Ashes series, following a brilliant hundred in the pink-ball Test in Brisbane.

This is Root's 24th Test hundred since 2021 -- the most by any batter in this period.

In the elite list of most Test hundreds, Root is just behind the two greats -- Jacques Kallis (45) and Sachin Tendulkar (51). 

The English batter is also fast closing in on the 14,000 Tests runs. He is only behind Tendulkar (15921 runs in 200 Tests) for most runs by a batter in Tests.