Joe Root came in second on the all-time best-list of Test Run Scores after hitting the glitter of the 38th century as England hunted a series-packed victory against India.
2-1 in the five-game series, the Ben Stokes team ran 186 times more than tourists in the first innings, 544-7 on the stump on the third day of their fourth Test at Old Trafford on Friday.
The route has just made an incomplete score of 150, with only retired Indian great Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 test runs) above 13,409 for the 34-year-old British.
Previously, Ollie Pope (71) scored 144 for the third wicket at Root before being fired by Washington Sundar.
However, skipper Stokes, who finished his 77th day after a convulsion and temporarily retired his wound, assured that Britain had regained its initiative.
And it was Stokes who celebrated on the other side as his predecessor, route, as England’s captain.
“Massive from the route, this is a great moment in history,” former Australian captain Ponting said of Sky Sports as the Manchester crowd tried to praise the Yorkshireman’s name.
“The way his career is gone is no reason why he doesn’t pass Tendulkar.”
The route’s 38th Test Century also ranked fourth on the list of hundreds of test careers, with Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakhala.
“It was a privilege to see him knock out these milestones,” former England skipper Michael Atherton said on Sky. “It was another privilege to see his career unfold.”
Root did not attend a post-play press conference because he was undergoing treatment for convulsions.
Instead, the English vice captain Pope asked what he most admired about his fellow top-class batsmen, replied, “Just with his hunger and his drive, you saw all the batsmen here and everyone picked up something from Joe.”
The 27-year-old said, “His hunger is amazing. He’s annoying, the way he’s with his fans, and a great role model for the next generation.
“There’s a lot to learn from him.”
India’s attacks had little answer in the recent century of the route. Bowling coach Morn Morquel (former South Africa Quick) said, “There are not many weaknesses in his game, so he’s got over 13,000 runs.”
England resumed on the second day at 225-2 after a ferocious opening partnership of 166 in 32 overs between Zach Crawley and Ben Duckett.
At 21, the former England skipper walked far away across his stump, just to let his intended gaze go from Mohammed Syraj.
India reviewed the LBW after Asan Raza ruled in favor of Root but regenerated the Pakistani umpire decision and then showed that the ball missed a leg stump.
There was another terror when the 22-year-old route was almost gone, but Rabindra Jadeha was shy about the overlooked stump.
The route, which started fifth on the list of major runcollars in Test Cricket, bouncing off India’s Rahul Dravid and South Africa’s Jack Karis to third place.
However, Spin ultimately paid dividends to India, where the pace failed, and both Jasprit Bumra and Shiraj looked tired from the absence of Nichish Kumar Reddy, who was injured.
The Pope added one run to his lunchtime score of 70, rimming the front foot foot drive to KL Rahul with a slip when he was beaten by a drift from spinner Sundal.
The UK quickly became 349-4, with the three Brook confused from Sundar by Durf Jurel and the agent of injured Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pants in trouble.
However, Stokes prevented further collapse with his first 50-man series, with the left-handed batsman touching cleanly until he succumbed to a left-foot cramp.
The route reached his century with 178 balls.
He continued to 150 before being beaten by a conversion delivery from left-arm spinner Jadeja, bouncing violently, Jurell completed a sharp difficulty.
And when Chris Walks was bowled into a lowly held Shiraj ball – an anxious sign of Indian batsmen – the UK was still well placed at 528-7.
It was a clue to the all-around Stokes, perhaps the best British bowler in the series, to resume the innings.
