The Ashes Cricket kicked off on 16th June at Edgbaston, England where the host won the toss and elected to bat first and posted a mammoth total of 393/8d. They almost scored 400 on day 1 by playing their classic Bazball style cricket vs the current Test Champion Australia. Star batter Joe Root hammered 118 runs not out against Australia while batting first. Usman Khawaja turned out to be dauntless for Australia on Day 2. Khawaja finished the day unbeaten on 126 off 279 deliveries. England was 28-3 at the stumps of Day 3.
Image Source : Times of India
Joe Root
Joseph Edward Root is an English Cricketer born on 30th December 1990 at Sheffield, United Kingdom. He is the former England Captain and regarded as one of the best in Test Format. He came into limelight when he scored an undefeated 222 in the County Championship encounter against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl. And then there was no looking back as Root storm continued consistently. Soon Root’s batting became so flawless and mesmerizing that he gained a spot in Fab 4. The Fab Four includes Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root. Root was also the among the highest run scorers in T20 World Cup 2016. Worryingly 2020 did not appear to be a fantastic year for the batter. Root played in 33 matches and 60 innings and averaged 39.70 with four centuries. Root himself started questioning his position in the squad. But the year 2021 was a turning phase in his Test career. Root scored 1398 runs at 69.90 including six hundreds and one fifty. The Root Era in test cricket didn’t came to conclusion in 2021, from then till date he afresh smashed 7 centuries. The total hundred for Root comes to 30 now which was 17 till 2019 which tells what genre of batter he is.
Image Source: Joe Root Instagram
The Ashes History
The Ashes is a Test Cricket Series played between England and Australia. The first edition was in 1882-83 in Australia and the current edition is going on in Great Britain. Use of the word Ashes was suggested by the Australian Team to gain the popularity and fame of the cricket series. So far 72 Ashes Series have been played in the most celebrated test series, out of which Australia have secure 34 and England have won 32 times. Sir Don Bradman of Australia who is regarded as one of the finest batsmen in the game scored 5028 runs at an average of 89.78 in 37 Ashes Tests with 19 centuries and 12 fifties. Currently Steve Smith the eminent batsmen of test cricket in this era holds the most no of runs record. Smith scored 3044 runs at an average of 59.68 with 11 hundreds and 11 half centuries. Among the highest wicket takers in the Ashes archive the greatest spinner Shane Warne holds the first place with 195 wickets in just 36 matches. Jim Laker of England holds the record for most no of wickets in a Single Ashes series. Presently Stuart Broad of England is the highest wicket taker with 131 wickets in 36 matches. His best figures are 8/15.
Image Source: Deccan Herald
