File image of Joe Root.© AFP
England batter Joe Root continued to excel in the first Test against Pakistan in Multan, bringing up the sixth double century of his career. Root, who ended Day 3 unbeaten on 176, reached his double hundred in the first session of Day 4, as England overturned Pakistan's first innings total of 556 with relative ease. Root's sixth double century took him past the tally of England great Alastair Cook, who boasts five double centuries. Root only has to chase one more player down to become the Englishman with the most Test double hundreds.
Root is now only behind Wally Hammond, who registered seven double centuries between 1927 and 1947.
Six double hundreds also makes Root go level with a host of cricket legends with the same number. Root is now level with Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Virender Sehwag, Kane Williamson, Younis Khan, Javed Miandad and Marvan Atapattu in registering six double centuries in Test cricket.
Alongside Root, batting partner Harry Brook also notched up a sensational double hundred, batting at a strike rate of over 80. Root and Brook's partnership stretched to more than 409 at Lunch on Day 4, just two behind the highest-ever Test partnership for any wicket by any English pair. Incidentally, the duo also became the third English pair to notch up multiple 300+ partnerships in Test cricket.
It is also the highest-ever partnership to be achieved in a Test match played in Multan, overtaking a record of 336 set by Sehwag and Tendulkar in 2004, when Sehwag had scored a triple century for the first time.
If Root or Brook reaches 300, they'd become the first English batters since Graham Gooch in 1990 to hit a Test triple hundred.
Root also became the first-ever visiting batter to score a double hundred in each of India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.